ANNUAL REPORT 2003-2004
Vallabhbhai Patel Chest Institute University of Delhi, Delhi
1 CREDIT LINE
Editor and Publisher : Dr V.K. Vijayan Director
Compilation, Editorial and Production : R.K. Gupta and D.K. Sahu Publication Division
Published and Printed by Dr V.K. Vijayan, Director, V.P. Chest Institute, University of Delhi, Delhi–110 007; Tele.: 27667102, 27667441, 27667667, 27666182; Website: www.vpci.org.in Printed at Cambridge Printing Works, B-85, Naraina Industrial Area, Phase-II, New Delhi–110 028; Tele.: 25893439, 25891262.
2 ANNUAL REPORT (2003-2004)
CONTENTS
Pages Foreword .. 5 Milestones of VPCI .. 6 The Institute .. 9 Objectives .. 9 Administration .. 9 Organisation and Management .. 9 Governing Body .. 10 Standing Finance Committee .. 11 Scientific Advisory Committee .. 12 Ethics Committee .. 13 Animal Ethics Committee .. 14 Organisational Structure .. 15 Administrative Structure .. 18
Central Facilities .. 19 Clinical Research Centre .. 19 Animal House .. 21 Library .. 21
Publication Division .. 23
Departmental Activities .. 24 Biochemistry .. 24 Biostatistics .. 26 Cardiorespiratory Physiology .. 27 Clinical Biochemistry .. 29 Medical Mycology .. 30 Microbiology .. 32 Pathology .. 38 Pharmacology .. 40 Physiology .. 43 Radiodiagnosis and Imaging .. 48 Respiratory Allergy and Applied Immunology .. 49 Respiratory Medicine .. 52 Respiratory Virology .. 59
3 DST Centre for Visceral Mechanisms .. 61 The INSA Honorary Scientists Scheme .. 62
Postgraduate Training and Teaching .. 64 DTCD .. 64 MD Degrees (Awarded) .. 65 MD Theses (Submitted) .. 66 MD Theses (Pursued) .. 67 MD (Ist Year) .. 68 PhD Awarded/Submitted .. 69 PhD Theses (Pursued) .. 70 Faculty Members Associated as Co-supervisors for PhD Theses of Other Institutions .. 72
Distinguished Visitors .. 73 Awards/Honours .. 74 Sponsored Research Projects .. 79 Orations/Guest Lectures .. 83 Conferences/Symposia/Seminars/Workshops/CMEs .. 91 Participation in Organising of Conferences/Symposia/Seminars/Workshops/CMEs .. 103 Short Term Specialized Trainings Imparted by Faculty Members .. 114 Cultural and Sports Activities .. 115 List of Publications .. 116
4 Foreword
I have great pleasure to present the Annual Report of the Vallabhbhai Patel Chest Institute (VPCI) for the year 2003-2004. The Institute continued its research, teaching, patient care and academic activities and the details of these are provided in the subsequent pages of this Report. A symposium on “Tuberculosis” was organized on 6th April 2003 and the 5th VPCI Oration was delivered by Prof. J.S. Bajaj, Former Professor and Head, Department of Medicine, AIIMS and Former Member, Planning Commission, Government of India on 7th April 2003 as part of the 54th Foundation Day celebrations. The third CME programme in Respiratory Diseases for the General Practitioners held on 3 - 4 May 2003 was a great success. The Annual Workshop on Respiratory Allergy : Diagnosis and Management was organized from 4 – 10 June 2003 in which many Physicians from all parts of the country participated. The Institute had the opportunity to organize the Annual Conferences of two National Scientific Societies: The 36th Annual Conference of the Pharmacology Society of India was organized from 4 – 7 December 2003 at India Habitat Centre, New Delhi and the first Congress of the Indian Association of Sarcoidosis and Other Granulomatous Disorders at the Institute on 12th January 2004. The Institute also organized a Workshop-cum-Training Programme on “New Perspectives in Drug Delivery and Development on 8 – 9 December 2003 and this Workshop was sponsored by the Department of Science & Technology, Government of India.
As the Institute has been organizing many International and National Conferences and also Symposia/Seminars frequently, the need for a well-equipped Auditorium in the premises of the Institute was felt for a long time and an Auditorium-cum-Convention Centre to commemorate the Golden Jubilee of the Foundation of the Institute was approved by the Planning Commission and the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India during the 10th Plan. The ‘Bhoomi Pujan’ for the construction of the Auditorium-cum-Convention Centre was performed on 28th May 2003. The renovation of this Institute buildings and addition of equipments for research/patient care especially the installation of the digital X-ray machine, Flowcytometry, etc., were also done during this period.
Faculty members delivered guest lectures/presented scientific papers in many National and International Conferences. An encouraging feature is the presentation of original scientific papers in International Conferences outside India by MD/PhD students and junior faculty members. The development of Library continued and a Web access to the catalogue of VPCI Library has now been uploaded on the Delhi University Campus Wide Network. The Institute has the privilege of being the first of its kind in the Delhi University network system to make the holdings of Library online.
Dr. V.K. Vijayan Director
5 MILESTONES OF VPCI
April 6, 1949 Foundation stone of the Institute was laid down by Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.
November 1951 Ad-hoc Governing Body was appointed by the Executive Council of University of Delhi for administrative affairs of the Institute.
December 1951 Main building of the Institute was completed.
January 12, 1953 The Institute was formally opened by Rajkumari Amrit Kaur, the Union Minister of Health, Government of India.
Prof. R. Viswanathan was appointed as the first Director. The grant for 1953-54 was Rs. 2 lakh.
January 21, 1955 A regular Governing Body was constituted by the Executive Council of the University of Delhi for the management and administration of the Institute.
April 4, 1955 The first meeting of the regular Governing Body was held.
1955 Prof. A.S. Paintal reported the discovery of lung deflation receptors, a historical landmark in understanding the functioning of lung and its diseases.
July 1, 1957 Prof. R. Viswanathan took over as full-time Director of the Institute. Previously, he was the Deputy Director General of Health Services, Govt. of India and Honorary Director of the Institute.
September 24, 1957 Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru said in a message : “It was a brave act of the University of Delhi to start the V.P. Chest Institute”.
October 24, 1957 Clinical Research Centre was inaugurated by Dr Rajendra Prasad, President of the Republic of India.
January 24, 1959 Indian Association for Chest Diseases was inaugurated by Sir A.L. Mudaliar. It was rechristened as National College of Chest Physicians (India) in January 1981.
July 1959 The Indian Journal of Chest Diseases, a Quarterly Journal, was started under the joint auspices of the V.P. Chest Institute and the Indian Association for Chest Diseases.
July 1959 A ward of 20 beds was opened to admit patients.
1959 By a resolution of the Governing Body, V.P. Chest Institute was nomi- nated as a “National Institute for Teaching and Research in Chest and Allied Diseases.
6 January 1960 A Diploma course in Tuberculosis Diseases, which was started in March 1947, was re-designated as “Diploma in Tuberculosis and Chest Diseases” (DTCD) from XIV Course. The XV DTCD Course started from July 1960.
April 6, 1961 Celebration of Foundation Day of the Institute was started.
April 7, 1962 Foundation stone of Patel Niwas, a Post Graduate Hostel, was laid down by Dr C.D. Deshmukh, Vice-Chancellor, University of Delhi.
January 26, 1963 A contingent of V.P. Chest Institute staff participated in the Republic Day parade.
February 20-24,1963 VII International Congress on Diseases of the Chest was held at Vigyan Bhawan under the auspices of V.P. Chest Institute, Indian Association for Chest Diseases and the University of Delhi.
August 1, 1964 Prof A.S. Paintal joined as the Director of the Institute after the retirement of Prof. R. Viswanathan.
April 6, 1965 Patel Niwas was inaugurated by Dr C.D. Deshmukh on the XVI Foundation Day of the Institute.
1966 Prof. A.S. Paintal was elected Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh.
1969 Padma Shree was awarded to Prof. R. Viswanathan.
1974 Padma Bhushan was awarded to Prof. R. Viswanathan.
1981 Prof. A.S. Paintal was elected Fellow of the Royal Society of London.
1984-85 Prof. A.S. Paintal was elected General President of the Indian Science Congress Association.
1985 Prof. A.S. Paintal was appointed as Director-General of the Indian Council of Medical Research.
1985-88 Prof. H.S. Randhawa was elected Vice-President of the International Society for Human & Animal Mycology.
1986 Padma Vibhushan was awarded to Prof. A.S. Paintal.
1986-88 Prof. A.S. Paintal was elected President of the Indian National Science Academy.
November 10, 1991 Prof. H.S. Randhawa joined as the Director of the Institute.
October 5, 1998 Dr V.K. Vijayan joined as the Director of the Institute.
7 April 6, 1999 Golden Jubilee Celebrations of the Foundation Day of the Institute. 1st VPCI Oration by Prof. N.K. Ganguly, Director-General, Indian Council of Medical Research.
June 14, 1999 24-hour Respiratory Emergency Services started.
November 12, 1999 His Excellency, Shri K.R. Narayanan, President of India, received the copy of Compendium of Activities (VPCI) 1949-99.
April 6, 2000 2nd VPCI Oration by Prof. A.S. Paintal, Ex-Director-General, ICMR and Ex-Director, VPCI.
August 30, 2000 A New Ward (with an additional 40 beds) was inaugurated by Dr A.K. Walia, Honourable Minister for Health, Govt. of NCT of Delhi.
March 2001 A Respiratory Critical Care Unit was started.
March 15, 2001 CT Scan Centre was inaugurated by Honourable Padma Shree Dr C.P. Thakur, the Union Minister of Health & Family Welfare, Govt. of India.
April 6, 2001 3rd VPCI Oration by Dr S. Lakshminarayanan, University of Washington School of Medicine, Washington, Seattle, U.S.A.
April 21, 2001 1st Refresher (CME) Course in Respiratory Diseases started.
November 21, 2001 Inauguration of Tobacco Cessation Clinic.
April 6, 2002 4th VPCI Oration by Dr S. Padmavati, President, All India Heart Foundation and Director, National Heart Institute, New Delhi.
August 14, 2002 Inauguration of the State-of-the-art Oxygen Plant by Prof. P.N. Srivastava, Chairman, Governing Body, V.P. Chest Institute.
January 12-14, 2003 International Conference on Chest Diseases and Allied Sciences was held at India Habitat Centre, New Delhi, to commemorate the Golden Jubilee of the Inauguration of the Institute.
April 7, 2003 5th VPCI Oration by Prof. J.S. Bajaj, former Professor and Head, Department of Medicine, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi and former Member, Planning Commission, Government of India.
May 28, 2003 “Bhoomi Pujan” to start the construction work of the Auditorium.
8 THE INSTITUTE
The Vallabhbhai Patel Chest Institute (VPCI) is a post-graduate medical Institution devoted to the study of chest diseases. It is ideally located in the Delhi University main campus providing the requisite academic environment in which a wide range of scientific facilities are available in various departments along with an excellent Central Science Library.
Objectives
The main objectives of VPCI have been to conduct research on fundamental and clinical aspects of chest diseases, to develop new diagnostic technology and disseminate it to other institutes in the country and provide specialized clinical and laboratory services to patients. The training of post graduates in Pulmonary Medicine and allied subjects is another important objective of VPCI.
Administration
The VPCI is a maintained Institution of University of Delhi and is fully funded by the Grants-in- Aid received from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India. The Institute is governed and administered by its own Governing Body as Constituted under Ordinance XX (2) of the University of Delhi Act. The Director, who is appointed by the Executive Council of University of Delhi, is the Chief Executive of the Institute. The Director of the Institute also functions as Member- Secretary (Ex-Officio) to the Governing Body of the Institute. The composition of the Governing Body follows in the next page. The Institute also has a Standing Finance Committee constituted by the Governing Body to make recommendations about its budgetary requirements.
Organisation and Management
The organisation and management of the Institute is through Departmentation of activities based on various areas of specialization and functions. The Academic, Scientific and Clinical services are organized under the Departments of Anaesthesiology, Cardiorespiratory Physiology, Respiratory Medicine, Thoracic Surgery, Clinical Research Centre housing Outdoor/Indoor patient care services, and Departments of Biochemistry, Clinical Biochemistry, Biostatistics, Medical Mycology, Microbiology, Pathology, Pharmacology, Physiology, Radiodiagnosis and Imaging, Respiratory Allergy and Applied Immunology and Respiratory Virology. These departments are headed by the Faculty Members in the concerned area. The General and Personnel Management including various maintenance activities required for the Institute are supported by administrative services of the Institute which are available through following three sections controlled by the Deputy Registrar who reports to the Director. These sections are: 1. Administration-I, 2. Administration-II and 3. Finance and Accounts. The administrative services and its sections functioning details are shown in the Administrative Structure chart in the succeeding pages.
9 GOVERNING BODY
CHAIRMAN The Vice-Chancellor, University of Delhi Prof. P.N. Srivastava (Ex-Officio) or a person nominated by him Ex-Vice-Chancellor, J.N.U., New Delhi
MEMBERS Treasurer, University of Delhi (Ex-Officio) Mrs Janaki Kathpalia (15.01.2004 onwards)
Two members of the Executive Council Prof. P.V. Indiresan (07.03.2003 onwards) nominated by the Executive Council Dr K.C. Tripathy (till 19.9.2003) Prof. S.P. Tiwari (3.11.2003 onwards)
Dean, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Prof. B.K. Jain University of Delhi Three members nominated by the Ministry Mr Rakesh Behari of Health and Family Welfare, Government Joint Secretary & Financial Advisor of India, New Delhi Mr Anurag Goel Additional Secretary & Financial Advisor Mr Arun Sharma Joint Secretary & Financial Advisor
Smt. Bhawani Thyagarajan (Joint Secretary) Dr S.P. Agarwal (Director General of Health Services)
One Member, not connected with the Prof. J.N. Pande (07.03.2003 onwards) University, appointed by the Executive (Former Head, Deptt. of Medicine, Council AIIMS, New Delhi)
One Professor of the Institute by rotation Prof. K. Ravi (till 02.11.2003) according to seniority for a period of one year Prof. Ashok Shah (03.11.2003 onwards)
One Reader or Lecturer of the Institute by Dr Mandira Varma (till 02.11.2003) rotation according to seniority for a period of one year Dr Madhu Khanna (03.11.2003 onwards)
MEMBER-SECRETARY
Director, Vallabhbhai Patel Chest Institute Dr V.K. Vijayan University of Delhi, Delhi (Ex-Officio)
10 Standing Finance Committee
Mr Rakesh Behari Chairman Joint Secretary & Financial Advisor Ministry of Health & Family Welfare Government of India Nirman Bhawan New Delhi
Dr V.K. Vijayan Member-Secretary Director V.P. Chest Institute University of Delhi Delhi
Prof. S.S. Thukral Member Head, Department of Microbiology V.P. Chest Institute University of Delhi Delhi
Dr Binod Kumar Singh Deputy Registrar Member V.P. Chest Institute University of Delhi Delhi
11 Scientific Advisory Committee
Prof. S.K. Jindal Chairman Head, Department of Pulmonary Medicine Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education & Research Chandigarh -160 012
Dr V.K. Vijayan Member-Secretary Director V.P. Chest Institute University of Delhi Delhi
DDG (M) Member Ministry of Health & Family Welfare Government of India New Delhi
Principal Member University College of Medical Sciences Delhi
Prof. M. Fahim Member Head, Department of Physiology V.P. Chest Institute University of Delhi Delhi
Prof. Ashok Shah Member Department of Respiratory Medicine V.P. Chest Institute University of Delhi Delhi
12 Ethics Committee
Prof. S.K. Jain Chairman Senior Consultant (Pulmonology) Mool Chand Hospital New Delhi
Dr V.K. Vijayan Member-Secretary Director V.P. Chest Institute University of Delhi Delhi
Prof. Paramanand Singh Member Dean, Faculty of Law University of Delhi Delhi
Prof. K.K. Mukhopadhyay Member Head, Department of Social Works University of Delhi Delhi
Dr Ashima Anand Member Principal Scientific Officer DST Centre for Visceral Mechanisms V.P. Chest Institute University of Delhi Delhi
13 Animal Ethics Committee
Prof. M. Fahim Chairman Head, Department of Physiology V.P. Chest Institute University of Delhi Delhi
Prof. K. Ravi Member-Secretary Department of Physiology V.P. Chest Institute University of Delhi Delhi
Prof. S.S. Thukral Member Head, Department of Microbiology V.P. Chest Institute University of Delhi Delhi
Prof. A. Ray Member Head, Department of Pharmacology V.P. Chest Institute University of Delhi Delhi
Dr Rameshwar Singh Member Veterinary Surgeon-Incharge Animal House Defence Institute of Physiology and Allied Sciences Lucknow Road Delhi
Mrs Uma Tyagi Member Librarian V.P. Chest Institute University of Delhi Delhi
Ms Geeta Seshamani Nominee of CPCSEA President Friendicoes Seca, Shop Nos. 271 & 273 Below Defence Colony Flyover New Delhi – 110 024
Prof. K. Muralidharan Nominee of CPCSEA Head, Department of Zoology University of Delhi Delhi
14 ORGANISATIONAL STRUCTURE
DIRECTOR V.K. Vijayan, MBBS, DTCD, MD, MAMS, PhD, DSc, FCCP, FNCCP (I), FCAI, FICC, FAMS
Biochemistry
H.G. Raj, MSc, PhD, CChem, FRSC Professor
S.K. Bansal, MSc, PhD Professor
Biostatistics
Mujeeb-ur-Rahman, MSc, PhD, PGDCP Lecturer
Cardiorespiratory Physiology
S.K. Chhabra, MBBS, MD Professor
Clinical Biochemistry
Vishwajeet Rohil, MBBS, MD Lecturer
Medical Mycology
H.C. Gugnani, MSc, PhD, FRC (Path) Professor (Upto 09.04. 2003)
(Mrs) Anuradha Chowdhary, MBBS, MD Lecturer
Microbiology
S.S. Thukral, MSc (Hons), PhD Professor
(Mrs) Mridula Bose, MBBS, MD Professor
(Mrs) Malini Shariff, MBBS, MD, PhD Reader
(Mrs) Mandira Varma, MBBS, MD, DNB Lecturer
15 Pathology
(Mrs) Sonal Sharma, MBBS, MD Lecturer
Pharmacology
A. Ray, MBBS, MD, MNAMS, PhD Professor
Physiology
M. Fahim, MSc, PhD, Av HF (Germany), FAMS Professor
K. Ravi, MSc, PhD Professor
Vishal Bansal, MBBS, MD, DNB Lecturer
Respiratory Allergy and Applied Immunology
M.K. Agarwal, MSc, PhD, FCAI Professor
Balakrishnan Menon, MBBS, DMRD, MD Lecturer
Respiratory Medicine
Unit - I
V. K. Vijayan, MBBS, DTCD, MD, MAMS, PhD, DSc, FCCP, FNCCP (I), FCAI, FICC, FAMS Director
Ashok Shah, MBBS, DTCD, MD, FNCCP (I), FCAI Professor
Unit - II
S. N. Gaur, MBBS, MD, FCCP, FNCCP (I), FCAI Professor
Raj Kumar, MBBS, MD, FNCCP (I), FCAI, MIAOH Lecturer
Respiratory Virology
(Mrs) Madhu Khanna, MSc, PhD Lecturer
16 Clinical Research Centre Officer-in-Charge V. K. Vijayan
Library
(Mrs) Uma Tyagi, MPhil (Physics), MLib. Sci. Librarian
Animal House
Rajinder Bajaj, BVSc & AH Veterinarian
Administration
Binod Kumar Singh, MA (Publ. Admn), MA (Eng.), PGDPM, LLB, PhD Deputy Registrar
DST Centre for Visceral Mechanisms
A.S. Paintal, MBBS, MD, PhD (Edin), DSc (Edin), FNA, FRS (Edin), FRS (London), FRCP (London) Programme Director
(Mrs) Ashima Anand, MSc, PhD Principal Scientific Officer
V.K. Singh, MBBS, PhD Junior Scientific Officer
Hans Raj, MBBS, MD Scientist (Hon.)
The INSA Honorary Scientists Scheme
H.S. Randhawa, MSc, PhD, FNCCP (I), FCAI
17 ADMINISTRATIVE STRUCTURE
18 CENTRAL FACILITIES Clinical Research Centre The Clinical Research Centre (CRC) is the hospital wing of the Institute with the following Departments/Facilities:
1. Respiratory Medicine (Two units), 2. Cardiorespiratory Physiology, 3. Respiratory Allergy and Applied Immunology, 4. Radiodiagnosis and Imaging (including CT Scan Unit), 5. Out-patient/In-patient Facilities, 6. 24 Hours Respiratory Emergency, 7. Tobacco Cessation Clinic.
During the year 2003-04, the CRC continued to provide specialized investigations and treat- ment to patients referred to this Institute.
The detailed data of patients attending CRC are as follows: Number of new patients attending OPD : 9722 Number of visits of old patients to OPD : 41972
Total number of indoor patients General Wards : 1289 Emergency Wards : 871
Total 2160
Emergency treatment provided : 15317 Total number of patients treated in ICU : 32
Number of specialized investigations done Pulmonary function tests : 20806 Arterial blood gases : 767 Bronchoscopy : 233 Bronchoalveolar lavage : 56 CT scans : 859 CT guided FNAC : 91 Ultrasound examinations : 613 USG guided procedures : 42 X-rays : 10934
19 Immunodiagnostic Laboratory
During this year the Institute started the Immunodiagnostic Laboratory for HIV testing. A total of 60 tests were performed from 5.8.2003 till 31.3.2004 of which four were positive.
Flowcytometry was also started in the laboratory from 16.10.2003 and 67 tests for CD3/CD4/ CD8 were performed.
Tobacco Cessation Clinic
A Tobacco Cessation Clinic has been running on every Monday and Wednesday from 2:30 – 4:30 P.M.
Dignitaries on the dias during the inauguration of the Symposium on “Global Challenges in TB: An Update” on 6th April 2003
20 Animal House
For experimental research involving live animals, the most reliable result will be obtained from animals that are healthy, unstressed and at ease with their surroundings. The main function of the Animal House centers around the objectives to supply adequate number of good quality (genetically and pathogen free) animals.
Institute Animal Ethical Committee (IAEC) keeps a check to promote the humane approach of animal experimentation with the basic objective of providing specifications that will enhance animal care and quality in the pursuit of advancement of scientific knowledge that is relevant to humans and animals.
The Animal House of the Institute is registered for Breeding and Experiments on Animals with Committee for the Purpose of Control and Supervision of Experiments on Animals (CPCSEA), Animal Welfare Division, Government of India.
The complete renovation and upgradation work of the Institute’s Animal House is near completion. This upgradation will provide optimum environment for experimental animals and will meet international standards of animal experimental laboratories. Further, animal management will address ethical concern of the scientific community giving high priority to the welfare of laboratory animals and their judicious utilization.
Library
The Institute has one of the best library in the field of Pulmonary Disease and Allied Sciences having 9,591 Books, 17,211 bound Journals, 110 CD’s, 413 Thesis and 75 National and International Reports. A total of 64 Journals (62 International and 02 National) are being subscribed, 19 Journals (07 International and 12 National) are being received on exchange programm with the Institute’s Journal and 33 Journals (09 International and 24 National) on complimentary basis. Library is also subscribing, four English and two Hindi newspapers. Three Books and one Journal have been added in our collection during the financial year.
Library renders its services not only to the scientists/research scholars of the Institute, but also to other Colleges and Institutes of the University of Delhi. Library is also affiliated with British Council Division and DELNET (Developing Library Network) to access various databases like Union Catalogue of Books / Periodicals for providing timely and current information. Much emphasis is also laid on to provide abstracts, references, CAS and SDI services. Apart from this, online searches are being carried out for providing instant access of Information Resources to the desktop of researchers through LAN (Local Area Network). The INTERNET surfing and access to MEDLINE databases (1966+) has been provided right on the desktop of each Faculty Member through LAN and CD Mirror Server. Library also provides inter-library loan facilities and reprographic services on demand.
21 The concept of library is changing from ‘library within wall’ to ‘library without wall’, i.e. “Digital Library”. Thus, in order to achieve the goal of establishing a “Electronic Library” in this digital era of Internet age using state-of-the-art Information Technology, the Library has successfully launched the web access to its catalogue. The newly designed webpage of “Online Public Access Cata- logue” can be accessed right on the desktop through LAN in the Institute using the URL “http:// opac/index.htm ” for searching the database for Books, Journals & Serials available in the library and also for checking the account(s) status by entering the respective membership code.
In continuation to put a further step in the ongoing progress of library development a new add- on feature in this year has been incorporated and the web access to the Catalouge of VPCI Library has now been uploaded on the Delhi University Campus Wide Network since March 2004. The catalogue can be accessed using the URL “ http://10.8.2.21 ” by the users from within as well as outside the Institute (over Delhi University LAN), thus, enabling the users to search the holdings of VPCI Library. This Institute holds the privilege of being first of its kind in the Delhi University Network System to make the holdings of Library online. The OPAC not only ensured powerful search and query facilities due to minimal data entry requirements and maximum possible integra- tion of modules, but also increases the efficiency of the library staff and better management con- trol.
The Library facilities are available to Members/Users of Delhi University from Monday to Friday {8.30 A M to.7.00 P M}.
22 PUBLICATION DIVISION
The Publication Division of the Institute has been publishing a quarterly periodical, the Indian Journal of Chest Diseases and Allied Sciences,
Moreover, the Division is also responsible for documentation and dissemination of research output through Annual Reports and other publications of the Institute.
Dignitaries on the dias during the inauguration of the “3rd CME in Respiratory Diseases”, 3-4 May 2003
23 DEPARTMENTAL ACTIVITIES Biochemistry
Research 1. Acetoxy drug - Protein transacetylase: Physiological functions and opportunities for the drug development The acetylation of proteins in biological system is largely catalyzed by specific acetyl transferases utilizing acetyl CoA as the acetyl donor. The non-enzymatic acetylation of cyclooxygenase protein by aspirin type of drugs is known. The enzymatic acetylation of the protein independent of acetyl CoA was not known until we discovered an unique membrane bound enzyme catalyzing the transfer of acetyl groups from polyphenolic per acetates (PA) to certain enzyme proteins resulting in the modulation of the catalytic activity. This enzyme was termed Acetoxy Drug: protein transacetylase since the acetoxy derivatives of several classes of polyphenols was found to be the acetyl group donating substrate. Our earlier studies firmly established that the liver microsomal cytochrome P- 450, NADPH cytochrome c reductase and glutathione S- transferase were found to be the targets for TAase – catalyzed acetylation by the model acetoxy drug 7,8- Diacetoxy-4- Methyl coumarin (DAMC). NADPH cytochrome c reductase was found to be remarkably activated when tissue microsomes were incubated with DAMC. Since NADPH cytochrome c reductase forms a domain of Nitric Oxide Synthase (NOS) it was thought interesting to probe whether NOS could be activated by DAMC catalyzed by TAase. We examined this proposition using human platelets as the experimental system. The platelets preincubated with DAMC and L- Arginine exhibited significantly enhanced levels of NO compared to that of Arginine alone signifying the activation of platelet NOS. DAMC in the absence of Arginine has no effect NOS and 7,8 dihydroxy-4-methylcoumarin (DHMC) the deacetylated product of DAMC was ineffective in producing the activation of NOS. Also the activation of NOS produced by DAMC was abolished by L- NAME, the inhibitor of NOS. These observations confirmed the ability of acetoxy coumarins to enhance NO levels in human platelets. The studies were extended to examine the effect of acetoxy derivatives of other classes of polyphenols, viz. flavones, chromones and xanthones on platelet NOS. Various polyphenolic peracetates were effective in causing the activation of human platelet NOS in tune with their specificities to platelet TAase. Such an action of polyphenolic per acetate (PA) necessitated to investigate whether they can augment NO related physiological effect in platelets. Accordingly the influence of PA on ADP- induced platelet aggregation was examined. PA were indeed found to cause profound inhibition of platelet aggregation due ADP. Hence these investigations have clearly projected PA as the potent enhancers of intracellular NO. They also merit as the potential drug candidates that act by way of NO related pharmacological action. 2. Studies on mechanism of signal transduction during release of proinflammatory cytokines IL-1b and TNF-a by alveolar macrophages in asthma Proinflammatory cytokines, interleukin -1b (IL-1b) and tumor necrosis factor-a (TNF-a), released by alveolar macrophages (AM) play a significant role in airway inflammation. We examined the kinetics of expression of IL-1b and TNF-a in AM of asthmatic patients in vitro induced by various stimuli, viz. lipopolysaccharide (LPS), phorbol myristate acetate (PMA), sphingosine and histamine. The expression at mRNA level was evaluated by gene specific RT- PCR. Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid was collected from 16 asthmatic patients and a healthy subject, AM prepared and incubated with 100nM of either of the drugs for varying time intervals. Our results show that in AM of asthmatics, 24 LPS induced expression of mRNA of IL-1b and TNF-a immediately (at 0 min) after addition of the drug. PMA and sphingosine induced expression of both at 10 min and 5 min respectively but histamine did not show any substantial expression of mRNA of these cytokines up to 30 minutes. The pattern markedly differed from that observed in the AM of healthy subject where no cytokine was expressed immediately. These results suggest that AM of asthmatic patients remain in an active state and the exposure to an endotoxin (LPS) or tumor promoter (PMA) may lead to immediate expression of IL-1b and TNF-a, which may initiate and perpetuate the airway inflammation in the disease. (Principal Investigator: Prof. S.K. Bansal, Co-investigator: Dr V.K. Vijayan) 3. Expression of inducible NOS in peritoneal macrophages of rat Nitric oxide (NO) plays an important role in immune responses, inflammation and antimicrobial defense. In vivo, it is produced by the action of nitric oxide synthase (NOS) on L-Arginine. NOS may be endothelial (eNOS), constitutive (cNOS) or inducible (iNOS). Inducible NOS is expressed in macrophages and other cell types after activation by immunological agents such as bacterial endotoxins, tumor promoters, etc. We incubated the rat peritoneal macrophages with various stimuli, viz. LPS, PMA, sphingosine and histamine and then assessed the expression of iNOS at mRNA level by doing gene specific reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The iNOS expression took place with 15 µg/ml LPS at 0 and10 minutes, with 100nM PMA at 20 and 25 minutes and with 100nM sphingosine at 0, 10 and 15 minutes. Histamine did not cause any expression of iNOS. (Principal Investigator: Prof. S.K. Bansal, Co-investigator: Dr V.K. Vijayan)
25 Biostatistics
The Department provides statistical assistance in planning, designing, analyses and execution for the research work of various departments of the Institute. It also conducts regular teaching programmes for the Postgraduate students. Besides this, the Department also takes care of in- and out-patients’ records.
Research
Continuation of the studies pertaining to (1) the correlation between nutritional status and inci- dence of airway disorders in adults and (2) seasonal pattern of various respiratory diseases among the patients attending the out-patient department (OPD) of the Institute.
26 Cardiorespiratory Physiology
Research
1. Effect of high dietary sodium intake and inhibition of sodium-potassium adenosine triphosphatase on induction of asthma in guinea pigs The role of inhibition of sodium-potassium adenosine triphosphatase and high dietary sodium intake was studied in a guinea pig model of asthma. It was observed that administration of salt and digoxin to suppress the activity of sodium-potassium adenosine triphosphatase may enhance the response to allergen inhalation. 2. Role of oxidant-antioxidant imbalance in the pathogenesis of asthma and the role of vitamin E in its management We investigated changes in a wide range of oxidants and antioxidants to bring out a comprehensive picture of oxidant-antioxidant imbalance. Increased oxidative stress was observed in asthma. The effect of addition of vitamin E to standard treatment of asthma was also investigated. Vitamin E when added to standard therapy in asthma has shown a beneficial effect. 3. Role of oxidant-antioxidant imbalance in the pathogenesis of bronchial hyperreactivity in guinea pigs In vivo generation of reactive oxygen species in the airways by inhalation of xanthine and xanthine oxidase was shown to increase bronchial reactivity to inhaled histamine 30 minutes later. This was accompanied with alterations in several cellular and extracellular antioxidants. These observations show that increased oxidative stress may play an important role in the pathogenesis of bronchial hyperreactivity. 4. Development and validation of a questionnaire to measure clinical control of asthma based on current management guidelines An Asthma Control Questionnaire was developed based on current management guidelines. Its properties were tested in asthmatics attending the outpatient clinic at the Institute. Forty subjects have been studied so far. The control was assessed at baseline and then again at 2 weeks and 4 weeks. This instrument will enable a better evaluation of therapy in a standardized manner and thus improve the quality of treatment. 5. Validation of a specific quality of life instrument for Indian patients with bronchial asthma Junipers’ Asthma Quality of Life questionnaire may be difficult to apply in Indian patients due to cultural, educational and economic differences. An Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire for Indian patients was therefore developed and a study started to test its measurement properties. Thirty patients have been studied so far. 6. Potentiation of allergic asthma by air pollution: The ozone-allergen interaction and its modulation by dietary antioxidants, alpha-tocopherol and ascorbic acid Given the fact that ozone acts through the generation of reactive oxygen species in the airways
27 and that these are increasingly being recognized as important participants in the inflammatory reaction in asthma, ozone-allergen interaction may be synergistic and facilitate the induction of asthma. A study has been started to investigate this hypothesis in a guinea-pig model in which allergen-induced asthma is being developed in association with a daily exposure to ambient concentrations of ozone. Work is in progress. A successful model of allergen induced asthma in guinea pigs was developed. Increased oxidative stress was shown in these animals. Preliminary data suggests that ozone may increase the inflammatory response in the airways in this model of asthma.
28 Clinical Biochemistry
The diagnostic services details provided to the indoor and outdoor patients for processing 109 clinical samples are given below:
Nature of Investigation No. of Clinical Samples
24 hour urine calcium 25 24 hour urine protein 11 Pleural fluid protein 29 Pleural fluid sugar 29 Ascitic fluid protein 04 Ascitic fluid sugar 04 Others 07
Total 109
29 Medical Mycology
Research
1. Some novel and unusual fungal pathogens
Emericella quadrilineata was isolated for the first time as an etiological agent of onychomycosis. Also the yeasts, Rhdotorula mucilaginosa and Trichosporon mucoides were recovered for the first time as causal agents of lymphadenitis in an HIV-infected patient, and urinary tract infection in a diabetic patient respectively. Cladosporium oxysporum, Alternaria alternata and Phaeoacremonum inflatipes, rarely known fungal pathogens were recovered as etiological agents of one case each of cutaneous phaeohyphomycosis respectively.
2. Epidemiology and aspects of immunodiagnosis of Penicilliosis marneffei
Penicillium marneffei was recovered from the internal organs of 10 (9.1%) out of 110 bamboo rats (Cannomys badius) examined from Manipur State, an area endemic for Penicilliosis marneffei in India. Identification of the isolates was based on a detailed study of their morphological characteristics, in vitro conversion to fission yeast form and exoantigen tests. Histopathological examination of lungs, liver and spleen of 15 of the rats including five of the positive animals examined did not reveal any fungal elements. The present study establishes the bamboo rat Cannomys badius as a natural host of P. marneffei in India. None of the 72 rats of other species, viz. Rattus noervegicus, R. rattus, R. niditus, Bandicota bengalensis and Mus musculus trapped from bamboo plantations in Guwahati, Bara Pani-Umeam, Shillong, Imphal, and Sikkim yielded any isolation of P. marneffei. Multilocus Microsatellite Typing (MLMT) of the isolates of P. marneffei done with the collaboration of Prof. N. Vanittanakom, Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand, and Dr M. Fisher, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College, London, England revealed five genotypes. One of these genotypes was identical to that seen in a human isolate suggesting that either co-infection from a common source or host-to-host transmission had occurred. A detailed study of the physiological characteristics of the isolates of P. marneffei demonstrated utilization of a variety of carbon sources for growth. There were some variations in the B-galactosidase activity. All the isolates tolerated 5% glycerol and 5% sodium chloride in the growth medium. The demonstration of marked proteinase in all the 10 isolates is a significant observation, as proteinase is known to be one of the virulent factors in pathogenic fungi. All the isolates of P. marneffei converted to fission yeast form on 2% garden pea (Pisum sativum) agar and Horse gram (black gram) (Cicer aeritinum) agar though conversion was generally slower, and also the proportion of separated yeast cells was smaller than that on brain heart infusion (BHI) agar. These seed-based media could serve as alternative media for in vitro conversion of P. marneffei isolates in laboratories, where brain heart infusion agar is not available. The pathogenicity of two representative bamboo rat isolates of P. marneffei for laboratory mice was established. In experimental infections, the lesions in the internal organs of cortisone-treated mice were much more extensive than those in the normal (untreated) mice. In the in vitro susceptibility tests to different antimycotics, the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) for both itraconazole and voriconazole was 0.03 µg/ml for six rat isolates and for one human isolate. The remaining one rat isolate showed higher MIC, i.e. 0.5 µg/ml and 0.25 µg for the two antimycotics respectively. The second human isolate required a MIC of 0.125 µg/ml for these two antimycotics. The MIC for
30 amphotericin B ranged 0.03 – 0.25 µg/ml for the rat isolates, and it was 0.03 µg/ml and 0.125 µg/ ml respectively for the two human isolates. All the tested isolates were resistant to fluconazole.
None of the 25 soil samples collected from the burrows of C. badius, and 10 samples each of bamboo shoots and leaves in Manipur, yielded any P. marneffei isolate. Additional 190 soil samples collected from burrows of other species of rats and from sites other than the burrows of rats in bamboo plantations in northeastern States, and other parts of India, and from Nepal were also negative for the fungus. Experimental work on the survival of P. marneffei in soil showed that the fungus could survive in sterile soil for several weeks with little possibility of multiplication but not in non-sterile (natural) soil. Thus, definite evidence of natural occurrence of P. marneffei in soil is lacking. Experiments on in vitro interaction of several species of saprobic fungi, viz. Aspergillus fumigatus, A. flavus, Acremonium strictum, Penicillium purpurogenum, and Fusarium solani, and Penicillium sp. with P. marneffei, employing different techniques demonstrated that these fungi in general are antagonistic to or inhibit the growth of P. marneffei. This observation may account for the rare occurrence of P. marneffei in soil under particular ecological conditions.
A simple procedure for preparation of potent antigen of P. marneffei was developed. This essentially comprised dialysis of the cultural filtrate of the yeast/mold form of the fungus, its re- peated precipitation with ammonium sulphate and re-dialysis. The immunodiffusion procedure for detection of antibodies to P. marneffei was standardized with rabbit antisera and with serum samples of mycologically proven cases of Penicilliosis marneffei. This holds promise for a simple immunodiagnostic procedure for diagnosis of human infections due to P. marneffei.
Diagnostic Services
A total of 827 clinical samples from indoor and outdoor patients were processed during the year, as per details given below:
a. Fungal Culture No. Sputum 270 BAL/ bronchial aspirate/pleural fluid 129 Nail 11 Skin/nasal tissue 21 Miscellaneous 25
b. Blood Precipitation Test 382
Total 827
31 Microbiology
Research
1. Biochemical and molecular characterization of clinical isolates of Corynebacterium diphtheriae
A total of 50 clinical isolates of C.diphtheriae isolates recovered from suspected cases of diphtheria admitted to the Infectious Diseases Hospital, Kingsway Camp, Delhi and 10 isolates, 5 each recovered from American and Russian patients respectively procured from CDC, Atlanta, U.S.A were studied. All these isolates were biotyped using conventional as well as commercially available API Coryne(BioMereux, France). Toxigenicity testing was done by Elek immunoprecipitation and PCR assay. As many as 45 isolates were var intermedius, 11 were var mitis and rest 4 were var gravis. There was 100% correlation between Elek test and PCR assay except in one isolate obtained from CDC, Atlanta, which was Elek negative and PCR positive. A comparative evaluation of whole-cell protein profile analysis by SDS-PAGE (PPA) and ribotyping with a digoxigenein labelled c-DNA probe complementary to 16S and 23S rRNA of Escherichia coli was undertaken. The protein and ribotype patterns were subjected to computerized numerical analysis in order to have an objective comparison between the techniques employed. PPA could type the isolates into 16 types; ribotyping on the other hand identified 35 ribotypes. SD1 was the most predominant protein type containing 20 strains. Protein types SD2 and SD4 contained a cluster of 8 strains each which were further divided into 7 and 4 different ribotypes respectively. Similarly, protein type SD6 and SD11 contained a cluster of 2 strains each which could be further ascribed to unique ribotypes. Both the techniques had 100% typeability and 100% reproducibility. Ribotyping was found to have a higher discriminatory index (0.96) than PPA (0.85). Ribotyping was able to discriminate between strains, which were clustered by SDS-PAGE.
2. Analysis of isoniazid and rifampicin resistance mutations in the clinical isolates of M. tuberculosis by sequencing and dot-blot hybridization
Twenty patients of pulmonary tuberculosis, attending the Department of Respiratory Medicine, V.P. Chest Institute, Delhi and 100 patients from RBTB Hospital, Kingsway Camp, Delhi have been taken up for the study till date. The patients were asked to submit sputum samples for three consecutive days. Ziehl-Neelsen staining was performed for direct smear examination, which was positive in 90 (70%) cases. Cultures for M. tuberculosis were routinely performed for every case. Modified Petroff’s method was used for decontaminating the sputum samples and Lowenstein- Jensen medium in duplicate was used for culture. Susceptibility tests of 19 isolates of M. tuberculosis selected at random were performed by the proportion method. Susceptibility testing of seven isolates was carried out by BACTEC 460 TB system.
In the current experiments we could detect multidrug resistance in 23% (6/26) of the isolates. In all, 7/26 (27 %) isolates were resistant to isoniazid, 6/26 (23 %) to rifampicin, 8/26 (31 %) to streptomycin and 4/26 (15 %) to ethambutol.
Five probes (A, B, C, D and E), each capable of binding to a different target segment within the rpoB core region of the wild type M. tuberculosis genome were used. The absence of hybrid- ization of any probe in the dot-blot assay indicated the presence of mutations.
32 The assay was initially carried out on 11 isolates with probe E as this probe covers codons 528 to 533, which is the site with the maximum number of reported mutations leading to rifampicin resistance. Of the four resistant isolates tested, two of the isolates hybridized with probe E. The results were confirmed by sequencing when a mutation was detected in both these isolates at codon 531, covered by probe E. [Principal Investigator: Prof. M. Bose, Co-investigators: Dr M. Varma, Dr V.K. Vijayan, (VPCI) and Dr S. Patnaik, Dr J.N. Banvalikar, R.B.T.B. Hospital, Delhi]
3. Mycobacterial-epithelial interaction in innate immune response to tuberculosis and its role in transcriptional regulation of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS)
In view of the presence of a large number of epithelial cells in the alveoli of the lung and their ability to produce various cytokines and chemokines, the possible role of the alveolar epithelial cells in innate immune response to tuberculosis was examined. Human alveolar epithelial cell line A549 was used as a model. The ability of A549 cells to induce nitric oxide (NO) in response to Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection was taken as an in vitro correlate of innate immunity. M. tuberculosis infection induced A549 cells to produce significant level of NO and to express inducible nitric oxide synthase mRNA at 48 hr of infection. However, the amount of NO released at this point was not mycobactericidal. Cytokine stimulation (interferon-γ, tumor necrosis factor-α, interlukin- 1β, alone or in combination) of the infected A549 cells induced higher concentration of NO. The study of colony forming units (CFU) as a measure of mycobactericidal capacity of A549 cells revealed a reduction in CFU of M. tuberculosis by 39.29 percent. Interestingly γ– irradiated M. tuberculosis H37Rv could also elaborate higher than basal level of NO. Therefore, we examined mycobacterial antigenic components for their possible role in NO production. We observed that A549 cells produced significantly higher amount of NO at 48 hr when treated with mycobacterial whole cell lysate, cell wall or cell membrane preparation. The release of NO and resultant mycobactericidal activity could be further enhanced by simultaneously conditioning the M. tuberculosis infected A549 cells with cytokine and mycobacterial components. These results suggest that the alveolar epithelial cells respond to their microenvironment, which is constituted by various cytokines, and macrophages processed antigens and may contribute to the innate immune response to tuberculosis. (Principal Investigator: Prof. M. Bose, Co-investigator: Dr Sadhna Sharma)
4. Analysis of polymorphism and expression profile of genes of mammalian cell entry (mce) operons in clinical isolates of M. tuberculosis
Mammalian cell entry operons (mce operons), implicated in the entry of mycobacteria into host cells are present both in pathogenic species as well as saprophytic species. Thus, it is likely that the genes in these operons have functions other than those required for entry into host cells. By in silico analysis we have identified domains within the mce operons that might justify their occurrence in a saprophytic species like M. smegmatis. Our analysis deciphered the presence of Ttg2B, and Ttg2C domains characteristic of transporter proteins in addition to mce domain in these operons across the various species of mycobacteria. We have also analysed and compared the expression profile of mce operons in M. tuberculosis, M. bovis, and M. smegmatis under differ- ent growth conditions. In M. smegmatis each operon has truncation of domains in at least one gene. We observe differential expression of the operons in M. smegmatis growing under different culture conditions. In the bacilli growing in nutritionally rich medium with aeration; only mce 4 operon is expressed while during stationary phase in a standing culture all the four operons are expressed. In M. bovis in addition to the complete absence of mce 3 operon several domains
33 within putative proteins encoded by the other operons are truncated. We detect the expression of mce 2 operon in the exponential phase of growth while mce 2 operon along with mce 1 operon is expressed in the stationary phase. (Principal Investigator: Prof. Vani Brahmachari, ACBR Centre, University of Delhi, Co-investigator: Prof. M. Bose)
5. PCR and RFLP typing of the Indian M. avium strains using IS1245 insertion sequence marker
Sixty-five biochemically identified MAC isolates were used in the present study. In addition to biochemical tests, the isolates were subjected to investigation for the presence of molecular mark- ers described for M. avium and M. intracellulare, namely, IS1245 insertion sequence, mig, DT1, DT6 sequence markers. It was observed that all the 65 isolates were IS1245 and mig positive by PCR and 47 out of 65 were DT1/DT6 positive.
Three PRA methods described for identification of mycobacterium species were also applied to these isolates. Our results demonstrate that although these PRA methods offer several advan- tages (rapid, economical and theoretically applicable to all species of mycobacteria), the MAC isolates recovered from Delhi patients demonstrated heterogeneous profile. We conclude that further work will be needed to establish PRA as an useful identification tool for MAC.
The PCR typing was observed to be rapid and simple. This typing system provided reproduc- ible and easy to analyze patterns comprising fewer than 10 bands. Despite the fact that both typing methods failed to type some strains (10 by RFLP and 8 by PCR, of 65 strains) none of the isolates were negative for both the typing methods. On PCR typing a cluster of 14 isolates with identical three banded pattern was observed and within this cluster were 5 isolates that were negative for IS1245 RFLP typing.
6. Infection of human monocyte derived macrophages with M. tuberculosis induces apoptosis of T cells: A potential mechanism for persistent infection
Mycobacterium tuberculosis is an intracellular pathogen that readily survives and replicates in human macrophages. Host cells have developed various mycobactericidal and immunoregulatory mechanisms, such as the production of nitric oxide and inflammatory cytokines to control intracellular replication of M. tuberculosis. Inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) is transcriptionally under the control of IFN-γ and TNF-α. IL-12 provides a crucial link between activated mononuclear phagocytes and T cells by regulating the production of IFN-γ. In this study, we investigated the production of nitric oxide (NO), TNF-α, and IL-12 by the peripheral blood monocytes (PB Mn) of patients suffering from multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB). The cells were infected with M. tuberculosis and stimulated with IFN-γ or activated with mycobacterial subcellular components. The results were compared with those from cases of newly diagnosed TB and healthy controls. Nitric oxide production was significantly depressed in PB Mn from MDR-TB patients. Infected monocytes from the newly diagnosed TB patients produced significantly higher levels of NO as compared to those from MDR- TB patients or normal controls. The subcellular fraction of M. tuberculosis-like whole cell lysate (WCL), culture filtrate protein (CFP) and lipoarabinomannan (LAM) induced higher concentrations of NO release in PB Mn from newly diagnosed TB patients as compared to those from MDR-TB patients. Cell culture supernatant from PB Mn assayed at 48 hr after infection or stimulation demonstrated significantly depressed release of TNF-α and IL-12 from MDR-TB cases as compared to the fresh cases. We observed a definite correlation between nitric oxide release and TNF-α
34 production irrespective of low or high production in MDR-TB or fresh cases respectively. The present data suggest that peripheral blood monocytes of MDR-TB patients typically show signs of immunosupression. Whether such immunosupression is the cause or effect of MDR-TB merits further investigations.
7. Molecular characterization of Pseudomonas isolates from the hospital patients and other hospital sources
There was an outbreak of Pseudomonas infection at the ICU of VPCI. During the investiga- tion of the outbreak, in order to delineate the source, various samples from the patient, the suction apparatus, endotracheal tube and other samples from the ward were processed. Strains of Pseudomonas isolated from these samples were taken for characterization. The DNA was iso- lated by the classical Phenol-chloroform method. The characterization by ribotyping is under way.
8. Prevalence of Mycoplasma pneumonia infection in patients of acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
Eight patients of acute exacerbation of COPD attending the Department of Respiratory Medi- cine at V.P. Chest Institute, Delhi were taken up for the study. Throat swabs and sputum samples were collected from the patients for culture and PCR. Sera were collected for serological diagnosis of M. pneumoniae infection, from the patients as well as seven healthy controls. Samples were cultured on PPLO medium and incubated at 37 °C. A part of the sample was stored at –70 °C to be used for PCR. Three of the samples showing evidence of growth were subcultured on to PPLO agar and taken up for PCR. PCR was standardized in the lab using a primer set amplifying a 375 bp region of the P1 gene. PCR was then conducted on all samples including two follow-up cases. None of the clinical samples studied showed the desired amplicon in the direct PCR assay. PCR performed on the three samples with probable growth of Mycoplasma pneumoniae was also negative.
The sera obtained from patients were taken up for serological studies. None of the samples had a positive IgM assay. However, IgG antibodies were detected in four samples. Only one of the IgG positive samples had a positive Gelatin Particle agglutination assay too. One of the samples (MP1) was positive for IgG antibodies with a GPA titer of 1:80. We found evidence of Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection in atleast one patient of acute exacerbation of COPD who tested positive for IgG antibodies and GPA both. However, IgM antibodies were negative in this case. [Principal Investigator: Dr M. Varma, Co-investigators: Prof. S.K. Chhabra (VPCI), Dr Rama Choudhary, AIIMS, New Delhi]
Diagnostic Services
Details of diagnostic services provided to the indoor and outdoor patients are given below: i. Bacteriology Laboratory
Clinical specimens processed for isolation of aerobic pathogens
35 Nature of Specimen No. Sputum 1541 Pleural fluid 30 Bronchoalveolar lavage 34 Bronchial aspirate 92 Postbronchial sputum 11 FNAC 05 Pus 01 Ascitic fluid 01 Urine 176 Blood 17 Endotracheal secretion 08 Throat swab 07 Tracheal aspirate 07 Catheter tip 04
Total 1934
The specimens yielded 265 isolates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, 18 Klebsiella oxytoca, 16 Enterobacter spp., 59 Acinetobacter spp., 12 S. aureus, 6 Citrobacter koseri, 47 E. coli, 24 H. influenzae and 91 isolates of Streptococcus pneumoniae. A large number of these isolates were resistant to multiple antibiotics. None of the H. influenzae and S. pneumoniae showed resistance to any of the antibiotics. ii. Mycobacteriology Laboratory
a. Clinical specimens processed
Nature of Specimen No.
Sputum 5664 Pleural fluid 48 Bronchoalveolar lavage 61 Bronchial aspirate 109 Postbronchial wash 94 FNAC 13 Endotracheal aspirate 01 Pus 03 Lymph node biopsy 01 Ascitic fluid 02 Urine 02
Total 5998
36 b. Clinical specimens processed with BACTEC 460 TB system
Nature of Specimen No.
Sputum 53 Pleural fluid 07 Bronchoalveolar lavage 03 Pus 02 FNAC 01 Bone marrow aspirate 01 Endometrial biopsy 01
Total 68
37 Pathology
Diagnostic Work
Details of the diagnostic services provided to the indoor and outdoor patients during the year are given below:
a. Hematology No. Total no. of blood samples examined : 9895 Hemoglobin estimation : 9765 Total leukocyte count : 9765 RBC count : 4420 Differential leukocyte count : 9765 ESR (Westergren) : 9705 Reticulocyte count : 545 Absolute eosinophil count : 1185 Mean corpuscular volume (MCV) : 5135 Mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH) : 5135 Mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC) : 5135 Hematocrit : 4420 Platelet count : 2280 Peripheral smear for red cell morphology : 580 Malarial parasite examination : 455 Bleeding time : 1090 Clotting time : 1090
b. Clinical Pathology Urine examination : 7200 Albumin : 7200 Sugar : 7200 Bile pigments : 170 Bile salts : 170 Urobilinogen : 170 Microscopic examination : 7200
38 c. Cytology Sputum : 77 BAL fluid : 95 FNAC : 65 Bronchial aspirate : 21 Pleural fluid : 39 Bronchial brushings : 02 Ascitic fluid : 05 Miscellaneous : 02 d. Clinical Chemistry S. cholesterol : 224 Glucose : 2114 B. Urea : 1072 S. creatinine : 1093 S. total proteins : 564 S. albumin : 549 S. total bilirubin : 723 S. direct bilirubin : 717 SGOT : 773 SGPT : 771 S. alk. phosphatase : 750 S. calcium : 56 S. uric acid : 25 S. triglycerides : 169 S. HDL : 155 S. phosphorus : 13 S. magnesium : 05 CK-MB : 10 e. Histopathology Diagnostic surgical biopsies : 19 Experimental biopsies : 143
39 Pharmacology
Research
1. Clinical study on the possible hepatoprotective effect of New Livfit (a polyherbal prepara- tion) on ATT-induced hepatotoxicity
Anti-tubercular therapy (ATT) induces hepatotoxicity and several strategies have been designed to protect against this drug-induced toxicity. The present study was an attempt to evaluate the possible hepatoprotective effect of a new polyherbal preparation (New Livfit) against ATT in TB patients. The study was carried out in collaboration with RBTB Hospital, Delhi. After obtaining the ethical clearance for the study, informed consent was taken from the patients in the prescribed format. The study was a randomized, open, placebo controlled clinical trial with a parallel design. All patients received ATT—intensive four–drug therapy (RHEZ) for two months, followed by continuation phase two-drug therapy (RH) for four months. After initial baseline biochemical data for liver function (Bilirubin, SGOT, SGPT, Alkaline Phosphatase, Serum Proteins) and screening for HbsAg and HIV, the patients were put on ATT. The treatment group received New Livfit, whereas, the placebo control group received Vit. B Complex. The patients were assessed for LFT four weeks, eight weeks and 24 weeks after ATT therapy, in consultation with RBTB Hospital, Delhi. The study (for 100 patients) has been completed and on analysis of the data interesting observations have emerged. Briefly, out of patients diagnosed with ATT-induced hepatotoxicity, prior treatment with New Livfit showed protective effects, as compared to Vit. B Complex group.
2. A multicentric, double-blind randomized placebo controlled study evaluating the efficacy and tolerability of the polyherbal preparation LL-2123 HP against hepatotoxicity in patients with pulmonary tuberculosis
A clinical study was carried out on 30 patients of pulmonary tuberculosis to evaluate the protective effect of the polyherbal preparation LL-2123 HP against ATT-induced hepatotoxicity. Ethical clearance was obtained from the appropriate committee, as was written informed consent from the patients. Subjects were included taking into consideration the prescribed inclusion and exclusion criteria and the control and experimental drugs (coded by the sponsors) was administered following the randomization table. Baseline biochemical investigations were performed prior to starting ATT, in both groups of patients, who were again evaluated after eight weeks of intensive phase therapy.
3. Possible protective role of Livina (a polyherbal preparation) against anti-tubercular therapy (ATT)-induced hepatotoxicity
This is a single blind, randomized, placebo controlled study (to be carried out in 60 patients) to evaluate the efficacy of Livina against ATT-induced liver damage during intensive phase che- motherapy. After obtaining the necessary ethical clearance and informed consent from the sub- jects, patients of pulmonary tuberculosis were screened according to the inclusion/exclusion crite- ria, and included in the study. The recruitment process is on and 20 patients have been recruited to date. After baseline biochemical investigations for liver functions, ATT was started, and blood samples will be collected at intervals of four weeks, to assess the comparative extent of hepatotox- icity in both placebo and Livina treated groups.
40 4. Studies on the possible role of nitric oxide in the regulation of neurobehavioural and immunological responses during stress
Nitric oxide (NO) is now recognized as an important bioregulatory molecule and its importance in several inflammatory, immunological and respiratory diseases is well recognized. Immunocompromised situations enhance the susceptibility to disease and there is a clear correlation between neural pathways, immunity and somatic/visceral disorders. Stress is known to induce complex neural interactions and also modulate immune functions. The present study evaluated the possible role of NO in the neural modulation of immunity and some related responses in experimental animals. Stress induced suppression of different aspects behaviour and immune function (humoral and cell-mediated) and these effects were stressor intensity dependent. Nitric oxide modulators like precursors (L-Arginine) and synthesis inhibitors (L-NAME, 7-NI) influenced specific immunity in a complex manner and these correlated with nitrite/nitrate levels in the plasma and the brain. Additional studies showed that repeated stress exposure induced a degree of behavioural adaptation/tolerance in rats, and these effects were well correlated with corresponding fluctuations in brain nitrate/nitrite levels. Both changes in acutely and repeatedly stressed animals were associated with reduced brain NO metabolites, and precursor studies with L-Arginine confirmed these findings. NO also regulated humoral and cell-mediated immune responses during stress, and L-Arginine and L-NAME showed opposite effects on these parameters. Behavioural factors were also good predictors of the stress-induced immunomodulation and its regulation by NO. Interestingly, NO exerted a protective effect against stress-induced immune suppression and this could have an impact on several psychosomatic disorders including those involving the respiratory tract and allied systems. Similar protective effects of NO were seen on the gastric mucosa during stress, and L-Arginine and L-NAME produced opposite effects on cold restraint stress induced gastric ulceration in rats.
5. Studies on the possible role of pro-oxidant/anti-oxidant balance in theophylline toxicity
Theophylline is now emerging as an important adjunct to therapy in bronchial asthma because of some newly discovered pharmacological effects. The anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory effects of the drug are now known, but a safer toxicity profile could make its use more acceptable. Its close relationship with free radicals (ROS and RNS) is shown in its chemical/pharmacological effects, and the present study was designed to evaluate the role of free radicals in theophylline toxicity. The study evaluated theophylline induced convulsions and correlated with the anti-oxidant/ pro-oxidant status in the brain. Modulation of these effects with anti-oxidants were seen and melatonin was particularly effective in this regard. Combination of melatonin with NO synthase inhibitors had a greater effect than melatonin alone. These efffects were true for both convulsiogenic and pro-convulsant effects of theophylline. Studies in respect of theophylline, anti-oxidants and brain antioxidant status are currently in progress. Anticonvulsant effects were also seen with the NO synthase inhibitor, L-NAME and 7-nitroindazole, and melatonin synergized with the NO synthase inhibitor effects.
6. Experimental studies on the role of free radicals in emotional and environmental stress
The effects of emotional and environmental (xenobiotic) stressors on immune regulation and its modulation by free radicals are being studied. Pharmacological and biochemical data have showed that lipid peroxidation is associated with stress induced immunomodulation and anti-oxidants reverse this. Behavioural studies have shown a close correlation between behavioural patterns and immune responses.
41 7. Regulatory role of nitric oxide in the possible association between smoking and pulmonary tuberculosis
The rate of occurrence of pulmonary tuberculosis in smokers and non-smokers were studied and several variables like age, sex, socio-economic status, intensity, duration and type of smoking were assessed. A close correlation was found between the various above mentioned factors and the incidence of pulmonary tuberculosis. Further, the levels of NO metabolites in these patients were evaluated before and after ATT, and it was observed that nitrite (NO2) levels were higher in pre-ATT pulmonary tuberculosis patients, which were lowered after two months of intensive ATT with 4-drug regimen (RHZE). This is an interesting finding and indicates a possible correlation between pulmonary tuberculosis, smoking and NO. It is planned to extend this study to compare NO levels in normal smokers and non-smokers, and also smokers and non-smokers with other commonly encountered respiratory disorders.
42 Physiology
Research
1. Effect of simulated high altitude exposure on airway smooth muscle activity
To evaluate the direct effect of hypoxia on airway smooth muscle in tracheal rings of guinea pig with intact-epithelium and denuded epithelium, experiments were carried out on isolated tracheal ring segments in organ bath set-up.
The tissues were precontracted with either 5 x 10-6 M acetylcholine or 40 mM potassium chloride. Cumulative concentration-response curves for histamine, 5-hydroxytryptamine, the known bronchoconstrictors and isoproterenol a bronchodilator were obtained before and during exposure of the tissues to hypoxia. Decrease in oxygen concentration from 95% to 10% in the organ bath solution produced an immediate relaxation of airway smooth muscles. Hypoxia inhibited the contractile response of acetylcholine and the inhibition of acetylcholine response was more in epithelium-denuded rings. Hypoxia attenuated the contractile response of histamine and there was no significant shift in the concentration-response curve of histamine in both epithelium-intact and denuded rings. Hypoxia caused a rightward shift in the concentration-response curves of 5- hydroxytraptamine in both epithelium-intact and –denuded rings. The sensitivity of the epithelium– intact and –denuded rings to isoproterenol was enhanced by hypoxia.
The study is continued for investigating the effect of combined stress of cooling and hypoxia on the airway smooth muscle activity.
2. Cardiovascular responses to severe cold and hypoxia in man
The autonomic nervous system plays a vital role in the regulation of cardiovascular functions. The contribution of autonomic nervous system in the neural regulation of cardiovascular function during combined effect of cold and hypoxia was studied in man. The effect of cold and hypoxia on the sympathetic and parasympathetic activity was examined by heart rate and blood pressure response to postural changes, deep breathing response, valsalva manoeuvre, hand grip response, cold pressor response, urinary catecholamine levels. To analyse beat to beat heart rate variations heart rate variability spectrum was obtained using Fast Fourier Transform analysis. Beat to beat autonomic control of cardiovascular system by sympathetic and parasympathetic outflow was quantified by the heart rate variability spectrum in specific frequency bands; the low frequency (0.05-0.15 Hz) component indicative of sympathetic activity and high frequency (0.15-0.50 Hz) of vagal restrain. A significant rise in heart rate, blood pressure, oral temperature, low frequency activity, high frequency to low frequency ratio, systolic blood pressure response to hand grip test, norepinephrine and a fall in skin temperature, high frequency activity was observed when sea level residents were brought to high altitude (3500 M), suggesting hyperactivity of the sympathetic nervous system immediately on arrival at high altitude. This hyperactivity was maintained even after one year of acclimatization though there was a trend of recovery in autonomic balance by that time.
3. Effect of lead exposure on dopamine receptor mediated changes in behavior and mechanism of action of lead on vascular smooth muscle response in rats
The effect of acute exposure of lead on the vascular smooth muscle activity was investigated. Further to evaluate the role of dopaminergic and α-adrenoceptor in lead induced changes in the
43 aortic smooth muscle activity specific agonists and antagonists of dopamine and α-adrenoceptor were used. α α Different concentrations of 1-adrenoceptor agonist phenylephrine, 2-adrenoceptor agonist clonidine, dopamine and lead acetate produced contractions in aortic smooth muscle. Combination of lead with dopamine did not show any potentiation of the contractile response when compared with dopamine alone. Similarly, combination of lead with phenylephrine or clonidine did not show potentiation of the response when compared with response of phenylephrine alone. However, α α prazosin- 1-adrenoceptor antagonist, johimbine- 2 receptor antagonist and SCH 23390 – dopamine receptor antagonist decreased the contractile response of lead, which suggests that adrenergic and dopaminergic receptor mechanisms may be involved in the vascular effect of lead or at least a common second messenger mechanism could mediate lead and dopaminergic responses.
4. Cardiovascular functions on exposure to arsenic in rats
The experimental animals (Wistar rats) were exposed to three different concentrations (25, 50 and 60 g/ml water) of arsenic in drinking water. The animals of acute group were given arsenic for 1-2 days and chronic exposure group for 2-6 months. Besides evaluating changes in the blood pressure, heart rate and baroreflex sensitivity in intact animals, investigation experiments on the vascular effects of arsenic exposure were also performed on isolated aortic vascular rings in organ bath set-up. In order to find out the role of endothelium dependent mechanisms, observations were made on the vascular smooth muscle preparation after incubation with NO- synthase inhibi- tor-L-NAME, inhibitor of hyperpolarizing factor - glibenclamide or prostacyclin inhibitor-indometha- cin.
5. Effect of morphine on neural regulation of blood pressure and behaviour in animals
In order to explore the mechanism of action of epidural morphine on the neural regulation of blood pressure through arterial baroreceptors, the baroreflex response was examined before and after treatment of the animal with beta-blocker – propranol or parasympathetic blocker – atropine. Inhibitition of baroreflex response by epidural morphine which could be partially blocked by propranol or atropine suggests the modulation of sympathetic and parasympathetic nerve activity by epidu- ral morphine thereby inhibiting the arterial baroreceptor mediated regulation of blood pressure.
6. Arterial baroreflex response during experimentally induced hyperlipidemia in rabbits
The arterial baroreflex functions as a short-term negative feed back regulation of arterial pressure. Baroreflex sensitivity is altered in vascular diseases, e.g. hypertension, atherosclerosis. In this study, baroreceptor mediated reflex regulation of blood pressure was studied in normal and hypercholestrolemic animals. Influence of cholesterol reducing agent and a herbal compound (Lipotab) on the baroreflex response in normal and cholesterolemic animals was also examined. In hypercholesterolemia, bradycardia response to hypertension was increased and tachycardia response to fall in blood pressure remained unchanged. High blood cholesterol level is generally associated with hypertension and in clinical practice beta-blockers and calcium channel blockers are generally used to treat the patients. Effect of propronolol, a beta-blocker and diltiazem, a calcium channel blocker on the baroreflex sensitivity in hypercholestrolemic animals was exam- ined. Propronolol and diltiazem did not produce any significant effect on the baroreflex sensitivity.
44 7. Mechanism of action of estrogen on hemodynamic parameters in rabbits
The effect of estrogen (17 β-estradiol) on the cardiovascular performance before and after the blockade of left anterior descending coronary artery was studied in anesthetized, thoracotomised positive pressure ventilated rabbits.
The probable mechanism of action of estrogen was elucidated by observing the effect of estrogen before and after injecting various blockers such as atropine, propranolol and nifedipine. The effect of estrogen was also observed on isolated aortic rings in presence of various blockers to understand its mechanism of action on vasculature.
8. Bronchial reactivity in diabetic guinea pigs
Recent studies have shown that asthma in diabetic people is rare. However, coexistence of these two diseases has also been reported in a small number of patients. Data regarding the mechanism involved in the genesis of these pathological conditions together is scarce. In this context the present study was undertaken to investigate the responsiveness of airway smooth muscle, with or without epithelium, to certain bronchoactive agents in animal models of diabetics and diabetes with hyper reactive airways.
Experiments on isolated tracheal ring segments have been conducted in control animals and responsiveness of airway smooth muscle to certain bronchoactive agents was examined. Re- cently, similar response studies have also been started on experimentally produced diabetic ani- mal model.
9. Neural and cardiovascular responses during epilepsy in conscious animals
In the present study the changes in cardiovascular system during epilepsy and after treatment with antiepileptic drugs and calcium channel blockers were studied in conscious animals. Telemetric technique was used for recording the haemodynamic variables during epileptic seizures in conscious animals. Telemetry provides a number of advantages over conventional methods for monitoring blood pressure (BP), heart rate (HR) and other biopotentials from conscious freely moving animals. This procedure eliminates the stress caused by restrain and need of anesthesia during measurement. Moreover, haemodynamic measurements during seizures are not possible using conventional methods. Therefore, in the present study haemodynamic variables were measured using Data Sciences International (DSI), USA, Telemetric System.
Pentylenetetrazole 50mg/kg IP was given to the animals to induce seizures, 5 minutes after pentylenetetrazole injection the seizures were observed in the animals. The different phases of seizures were identified by observing the behaviour of the animal. The seizures lasted about 30 minutes after pentylenetetrazole injection. During this period there was an increase in the mean blood pressure in Group-I. Then there was a fall in the blood pressure, blood pressure began to normalize after 20 minutes. Verapamil showed slight inhibition of seizure induced hemodynamic changes in all animals during all the phases of seizures.
Our results clearly support the view that epileptic seizures induced cardiovascular changes are partly mediated through calcium influx as the intensity of the effect was reduced by pretreat- ment with calcium channel blocker.
45 10. Studies on hemodynamics and vascular responsiveness in rabbit model of non-cirrhotic portal hypertension
The effect of non-cirrhotic portal hypertension on isolated aortic tissues of rabbits was studied. The results have shown a hyporesponsiveness of aortic smooth muscle activity in isolated aortic segments recorded in isolated tissue organ bath set-up. The tissues from control animals and from experimental animals (NCPF) were tested with vasoconstrictors. By inhibiting endothelium dependent mechanism individually (NO blocker, K channel blocker, postacyclin inhibitor) we have attempted to elucidate whether vascular endothelium has any role in the hyporesponsiveness to vasoconstrictor agent in tissues from NCPF animals.
11. Effect of gadolinium on airway mechanoreceptors
Mechanoreceptors located in the circulatory system respond to changes in transmural pressure. For instance, a mechanical deformation of the arterial wall activates the baroreceptors. It is well recognized that the mechanical stimulus depolarizes the nerve ending which triggers the production of action potentials. But, the mechanism by which this transduction occurs is not fully understood. Recent studies performed in the rabbit have shown that in presence of gadolinium (a trivalent lanthanide), the sensitivity of arterial baroreceptors to an increase in carotid sinus pressure is reduced suggesting that stretch activated ion channels are involved in the sensory transduction.
Sensory receptors located in the airways, namely the slowly adapting pulmonary stretch receptors (SARs) and the rapidly adapting receptors (RARs) are also mechanosensitive. For a maintained hyper-inflation of the airways, both these groups of receptors respond with a high frequency of discharge. We hypothesized that like the arterial baroreceptors, stretch activated channels are involved in their responses to hyper-inflation. The present study performed in the rabbit explored this possibility using gadolinium as a specific blocker for stretch activated channels. In the second part, we investigated the responses of the RARs to acute elevations of left atrial pressure in the presence of gadolinium. Even though it is well accepted now that increases in left atrial pressure activate the RARs, the mechanism behind the mechanoelectrical sensory transduction is not known.
In the anesthetized, artificially ventilated rabbit, after identifying either a SAR or RAR, the expiratory port of the ventilator was occluded and the lungs were inflated for three breaths and the receptor responses were recorded. The occlusion was released and the location of the receptor was localized. Cotton wool soaked in gadolinium was placed over the receptive area and the responses of the receptors to hyper-inflation were repeated. Gadolinium was then removed, the lungs washed repeatedly with normal saline and finally, the recovery responses to hyper-inflation were obtained. In case of RARs, their responses to step increases in left atrial pressure (+5 and +10 mmHg, each applied for 5 min) before and after gadolinium were also studied.
It was observed that the responses of SARs and RARs to hyper-inflation were reduced significantly following the application of gadolinium. In presence of gadolinium, increases in left atrial pressure failed to stimulate the RARs. After the removal of gadolinium, the responses of SARs and RARs to hyper-inflation were restored. There was a partial recovery of the responses of RARs to increase in left atrial pressure also. It is concluded that stretch activated ion channels are involved in the responses of these airway mechanoreceptors to hyper-inflation and pulmonary congestion.
46 12. Effect of deep inspiration on maximal expiratory flows in asthmatics: Relationship to disease severity and modulation by anti-asthma drugs
In the controlled state, deep inspiration has no appreciable effect upon airway caliber in normal healthy subjects. But, in them, deep inspiration prior to induced bronchoconstriction by methacholine, causes significant decreases in the bronchoconstrictor effect of methacholine. In the asthmatic subjects, acutely induced airway obstruction is reversed partially by deep inspiration. However, in spontaneous airway obstruction, a deep inspiration increases the severity of the pre-existing obstruction. In the present study performed on mild, moderate and severe asthmatic patients, we elucidated first the role of deep inspiration on airway caliber and then investigated the modulatory role of bronchodilators and corticosteroids on it. To study the effect of deep inspiration on airway caliber, we used the M/P ratio (the ratio of flow rates derived from maximum expiratory flow- volume curve and partial expiratory flow-volume curve). The M/P ratio was found to be unity in normal control subjects. It remained so in mild and moderate asthmatic patients. However, in severe asthmatics, it was significantly lower than unity. The results suggest that the effect of deep inspiration on airway caliber depends upon the severity of the disease and in severe asthmatics, it actually promotes bronchoconstriction. The modulatory roles of inhalational salbutamol, and ipratropium bromide before and seven days after oral intake of corticosteroids on the M/P ratio are under investigation.
47 Radiodiagnosis and Imaging
The Department continued to provide routine diagnostic services to the patients attending the CRC of the Institute and other nearby hospitals. The Department consists of three units: (i) CT Scan Unit, (ii) Ultrasound Unit and (iii) X-ray Unit.
(i) CT Scan Unit
A total of 859 CT scan examinations were performed during the year as per details given below:
Examination Number Chest CT 689 Head CT 30 PNS CT 36 Spine CT 02 Abdomen CT 11 CT guided FNAC 91 Total 859
(ii ) Ultrasound Unit
A total of 613 ultrsound examinations were done during the year as per details given below:
Examination Number Chest USG 237 Abdomen USG 334 USG guided procedures 42 Total 613
(iii) X - ray Unit A total of 10934 x-ray examinations were done during the year as per details given below:
Examination Number Chest x-ray 10811 Abdomen x-ray 51 Bone x-ray 72 Total 10934
48 Respiratory Allergy and Applied Immunology
Research
1. Studies on the newer fungal aeroallergens in Delhi atmosphere
Identification and quantification of various air born fungal spores was continued and seasonal periodicity of different common fungal species was undertaken. For this purpose three different sampling techniques have been used. Mass culturing of some newer fungal species has been initiated for preparation of allergen extracts and evaluation of their allergenic significance.
2. Inhibitory effect of Azelastine nasal spray on histamine and allergen induced skin prick test (SPT) response in patients with allergic rhinitis
In one of our earlier studies, prior administration of some anti-allergic medicines such as theophylline, salbutamol, ephedrine, prednisolone and epinepherin did not suppress the skin test response to various allergens. However, various anti-histamines when given orally produced significant inhibition of histamine and allergen induced skin test responses, varying from 36 hrs to 45 days. It was felt that topical application of anti-histamine may not suppress the skin test response to histamine and positive allergens as the dose of anti-histamine used is very small. Thus, we have studied the effect of azelastine nasal spray (ANS) on histamine and allergen induced skin wheel responses.
Skin prick test with histamine and specific allergen extracts were performed on patients of type I allergic respiratory disorders, before, and 2 hrs and 6 hrs after single application of azelastine nasal spray; and 2 hrs, 6 hrs and 24 hours after the last dose of 6 days (twice daily) use of the spray. A total number of ten patients (5 males and 5 females) have been studied.
None of the patients showed significant suppression of skin prick test response to histamine and allergens after application of nasal spray. Our results suggest that performance of diagnostic skin tests can be performed on the patients of allergic rhinitis even when they are using anti- histamine nasal spray. (Principal Investigator: Prof. M.K. Agarwal, Co-investigator: Dr V.K. Vijayan)
3. Comparative evaluation of allergenic significance of various species of mosquitoes preva- lent in Delhi metropolitan area and physicochemical and immunochemical characterization of their whole body extracts
Various insects, including cockroach, housefly and moth have been incriminated as sources of inhalant allergens. Mosquito is a prevalent insect in India. During their life cycle, scales and other emanation from the body are disseminated into the air. Furthermore, detritus produced after death and decay of mosquitoes also become airborne. These mosquito emanations and detritus may serve as potent inhalant allergens and causes symptoms in patients with allergic respiratory disorders. Several species of mosquitoes are prevalent in Delhi atmosphere including Anopheles stephensi, Culex quinquefasciatus and Aedes aegypti.
No detailed studies are available on the physicochemical and clinicoimmunologic characterization of allergen extracts of various mosquito species. It is proposed to undertake a
49 systematic and comprehensive study on the allergenic properties of mosquito derived products of different species; their aerosolization and heterogeneity of patients IgE mediated immune response to various major allergenic components of allergen extracts of different species of mosquitoes. Besides, identification, purification and isolation of clinically important major allergens of different mosquito species will also be attempted. Based on the results of this study, it will be possible to identify the most impotant species of mosquito for diagnosis and immunotherapy of patients suffering with allergic respiratory disorders in our country.
Rearing of pure culture of Culex species and preparation of aqueous extracts has been un- dertaken to prepare suitable amount of allergen powder for the present study. Rearing of other two species of mosquitoes and preparation of their WBE will follow. (Principal Investigator: Prof. M.K. Agarwal, Co-investigators: Prof. S.K. Bansal, Dr V.K. Vijayan)
4. Identification, purification and characterization of major and minor allergens of some clinically important allergens of India used for the diagnosis and immunotherapy of patients suffering with allergic rhinitis and bronchial asthma, and development of techniques and reagents for their quality control
Aeroallergens play an important role in the etiology of allergic respiratory disorders. For identification of offending allergens, various diagnostic tests are performed on these patients followed by immunotherapy with the causative allergens. Both, the diagnostic efficiency as well as therapeutic efficacy of these procedures depend on the biopotency of these extracts. In western countries, allergen extracts are now standardized or are pending standardization for total allergenic potency, biological activity and total allergen content. In India, however, crude, aqueous allergen extracts are used, which have not been properly characterized or standardized since procedures and reagents are not available for their quality control. Therefore, there is an urgent need to undertake a systematic and comprehensive study to: (i) identify major and minor allergens of various clinically important indigenous allergen extracts of our country and (ii) develop techniques and prepare reference reagents for quality control of clinically important indigenous allergen extracts. For the present study extracts of various clinically important inhalant allergens, i.e. pollen, fungi, insects etc., will be studied.
In the first phase of this study, we have undertaken investigations involving purification and characterization of important allergenic components of some clinically important insect whole body extracts (WBE), namely cockroach female, cockroach male, housefly, dragon fly and moth. Patients were skin tested with crude WBE and various clinicoimmunologic tests were performed, such as RAST/ RAST inhibition with the sera of these patients to evaluate the allergenic significance of these insects. SDS-PAGE of crude insect extracts and immunoblots with the sera of a group of patients were performed and major allergenic components of these insects were identified. Further studies with other clinically important inhalant allergens, i.e. pollen, fungi, insects etc., are underway. (Principal Investigator: Prof. M.K. Agarwal, Co-investigators: Prof. S.K. Bansal, Dr V.K. Vijayan)
5. A controlled trial of oral N-acetylcystine in the treatment of moderate to severe COPD
The study was performed to find out the effect of 600 mg of oral N-acetylcystine (NAC) per day on clinical and physiological parameters and frequency of exacerbations in cases of moderate to severe COPD. There was a decrease by 46% in the number of exacerbations in the group
50 treated with NAC. The number of sick days was also less in the NAC group. A small but significant improvement in FVC and FEV1 was seen in this group. The patients also had lower symptom score and drug score. It was concluded that the addition of NAC results in improvement in the lung function parameters of patients with moderate to severe COPD along with decrease in symptoms and exacerbations.
6. Effect of high dose inhaled fluticasone propionate on hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal axis in patients of bronchial asthma
Inhaled corticosteroids are currently the mainstay in the management of asthma. However the potential for long-term adverse effects from these drugs relate from their systemic absorption. With the increasing use of fluticasone propionate (FP) it is important to establish whether untoward side effects such as hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA) suppression takes place when high doses of FP are given. This study was conducted to evaluate the serum and urinary cortisol levels of asthmatic patients after treatment with high dose (1000 mg/day) inhaled FP for six weeks. In the present study, a double blind crossover design was adopted and HPA axis evaluated by determining the serum and urinary cortisol levels, which is correlated with the pulmonary function tests. The conclusion drawn was that FP, if given at doses of 1000 mg through a spacer, is safe and does not cause any suppression of HPA. Additionally, a significant increase in pulmonary function variables was also recorded.
51 Respiratory Medicine
The Department is involved in the patient care (Outdoor and Indoor), research on different aspects of respiratory diseases and teaching of the postgraduate courses in the subject – Pulmo- nary Medicine (MD and DTCD) of University of Delhi.
Research
1. Prevalence of sleep related breathing disorders in Indian adults
A study to ascertain the prevalence of sleep related breathing disorders in Indian adults was conducted in rural population of Delhi. Villages in rural areas were selected randomly for this purpose. A list of 232 villages of National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi was obtained and 19 villages were selected randomly. Population of each village was ascertained and households from each village were selected by simple random sampling technique to obtain a sample of 350 – 400 people from each village. Field Investigators (Medical – Social Workers) made home visits to administer a predetermined questionnaire to all adult members of over 18 years of age residing in the house and asked questions exactly as per the questionnaire and filled up the responses. The questionnaire had 15 multiple-choice questions and each question was scored according to the severity of breathing disorder symptoms by use of a five-point scale. Each subject was asked to choose one of the five alternative answers to each question: 1. “never”, 2. “less than once a week”, 3. “once or twice a week”, 4. “three to five nights/day a week” or 5. “almost everyday/night”. The responders were classified as having sleep related breathing disorder symptoms, if they had loud snoring (scores 4 or 5) and/or daytime sleepiness (falling asleep immediately during the day time while working, reading etc.) (scores 4 or 5). At the time of interview, age, weight (portable scale) and height were recorded. Detailed sleep study (polysomnography) will be conducted in the Institute on a group of subjects with snoring and daytime sleepiness (scores 4 or 5).
The questionnaire on sleep related breathing disorders was administered to 7016 subjects from 19 villages with an approximate population of 182200 and this included 3559 (51%) males and 3457 (49%) females. The mean age of the study population was 38.31 + 15.18 years, mean height 1.63 + 0.09 meters, mean weight 58.97 + 10.35 kg and mean body mass index (BMI) was 22.13 + 3.34 kg/m2. Of the 7016 subjects in the study, 664 (9.5 %) had sleep related breathing symptoms [434 (12.2%) of males and 230 (6.7%) of females].
The symptom of snoring was significantly higher in males (10.4% vs 3.4%), (P<0.0001) compared to females. However, day-time sleepiness, morning headache, memory loss, tiredness, nightmares, nocturnal awakening and history of hypertension were significantly higher in females. Subjects with sleep-related symptoms were significantly older in both males (45.73 + 13.77 yr vs 37.8 + 15.35 yr, P<0.0001) and females (46.16 + 15.76 yr vs 37.25 + 14.71 yr; P<0.0001) compared to subjects without symptoms. The mean weight and mean body mass index were also significantly higher in both males and females compared to subjects without symptoms. Among the subjects with sleep related symptoms, the prevalence of snoring was significantly higher in males (85.2% vs 48.7%, P<0.001) compared to females. The proportion of subjects having sleep related symptoms increased as age advances upto 50 years and thereafter there was a decline till 80 years of age.
Detailed polysomnographic studies were done in 24 subjects so far.
52 2. Multicentric study on prevalence of bronchial asthma in adults
A multicentric study on prevalence of bronchial asthma in adults was completed. This project was initiated by the ICMR Task Force for Asthma and was carried out in Delhi, Chandigarh, Kanpur and Bangalore. In Delhi, more than 15000 subjects were studied, distributed about equally in rural and urban areas. A standardized questionnaire was used. The study has been completed and data is being analyzed. (Principal Investigator: Dr V.K. Vijayan, Co-investigator: Prof. S.K. Chhabra)
3. Allergic rhinitis in Delhi: A comparative profile of “sneezers and runners” and “blockers”
Allergic rhinitis, often erroneously viewed as a trivial disease, is a cause of significant and widespread morbidity. The clinical profile of 114 adult patients (63 males, 51 females) with allergic rhinitis, having normal pulmonary functions and a positive skin allergy test, was evaluated with the help of a questionnaire. The patients were classified as “sneezers and runners” (Group 1, 72, 63%) and “blockers” (Group 2, 42, 37%). The mean age at onset of disease (17 years) was significantly less in Group 1 (p<0.05). There were significantly more patients of moderate-severe intermittent category in Group 1 (36%) and mild persistent in Group 2 (52%). History of breathlessness (90%), mouth breathing (81%) and prior nasal surgery (31%) were significant in “blockers”(p<0.05). In Group 1, more patients were born between June and September (p<0.05). Family history of atopy (88%) percent, itching of skin (26%), eye (43%), ears (43%), throat and palate (67%), and aggravation of symptoms with house dust (93%) were significant in Group 1 (p<0.05). Environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) aggravated symptoms in 80 percent. ”Sneezers and runners” were the predominant group and had significantly more personal and family history of atopy. “Blockers” had a significantly more history of breathlessness, mouth breathing and prior nasal surgery. Month of birth and exposure to ETS were some of the other factors associated with allergic rhinitis.
Intradermal allergy tests with 63 local aeroallergens were done in all patients. Seventy-nine (69%) were sensitive to pollens, which were significantly more in Group 1 (61, 85%) (p<0.05). In this group, among the pollens, weeds were positive in 49 (68%), grasses in 51 (71%) and trees in 39 (54%) patients (p<0.05). Group 2 had significantly more sensitization to fungi (26, 62%) and house dust mite (17, 41%) (p<0.05). Sensitization to insects (75, 66%), kapok cotton (6, 5%) and wool (4, 3%) was more in Group 1. “Sneezers and runners” had significantly more sensitization to pollens. “Blockers” had significantly more sensitivity to fungus and house dust mite. The frequency of sensitization with insects, kapok cotton and wool were more with “sneezers and runners” but the difference was not statistically significant.
4. Co-occurrence of allergic rhinitis and bronchial asthma, and effect of exposure to environmental tobacco smoke in patients with bronchial asthma and /or rhinitis
Allergic rhinitis and bronchial asthma are now being described as a continuum of inflammation involving one common airway. Exposure to environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) is increasingly being recognized as a key factor in asthma. This study aimed to determine the frequency of co- occurrence of allergic rhinitis and bronchial asthma and to assess the effect of ETS in these patients. A total of 111 patients with a clinical diagnosis of bronchial asthma and/or allergic rhinitis were included in the study. Twenty healthy subjects with no personal or family history of atopy served as controls. All the patients and controls were administered a questionnaire by the same investigator.
53 Of the 111 patients, 83 had bronchial asthma and allergic rhinitis, 9 had bronchial asthma only and 19 had allergic rhinitis only. The frequency of co-occurrence of bronchial asthma and allergic rhinitis was 90.2 percent. Both current and perinatal ETS exposure were significantly high in patients with asthma, with or without rhinitis. Cough was the most common symptom on exposure to ETS followed by breathlessness. Both were significantly high in patients with asthma, with or without rhinitis. This study demonstrated that bronchial asthma and allergic rhinitis are closely linked to each other with a co-occurrence of 90 percent. It also showed that ETS exposure, both current and perinatal, is significantly associated with the occurrence of asthma.
5. A study of skin sensitivity to various allergens by intradermal tests in patients with respiratory allergy (bronchial asthma and allergic rhinitis) in India
Three hundred and forty-one patients with bronchial asthma and/or rhinitis (208 males and 133 females) with a mean age of 30.44 years (10-80 years) were studied for skin sensitivity to various allergens by intradermal skin tests. A total of 20,119 skin tests were performed with 59 allergens. It was found that only half of the patients (52%) showed a markedly positive skin reac- tion to one or more of the various allergens tested. Insects (17.20%) followed by various types of dust (4.39%), pollen (2.28%), weeds (2.18%), trees (1.22%), and fungal spores (1.22%) were the most common offending agents; 1.75% the patients also showed a markedly positive reaction to kapok fiber. Housefly (25.21%), mosquito (21.11%), moth (19.94%), and female cockroach (17.59%) were the most important insect allergens. Cotton dust (6.47%), wheat dust (5.86%), paper dust (3.81%), and house dust (1.46%) were the most commonly implicated types of dust. Among the various types of pollen, Cynodon (4.10%), Pennisetum (2.63%), and Imperata (2.34%) were the most common allergens, whereas Brassica (5.27%), Amaranthus spinosum (4.98%), Argemone (4.98%), Amaranthus H. (3.51%), Artemisia (2.93%), Ageratum (2.34%), and Parthenium (2.34%) were the most common weeds. Salvadora (2.34%), Ailunthus (1.75%), Prosopis (1.75%), Cassia siamea (1.46%) were the most commonly implicated types of trees. Among the fungal spores, Mucor (2.05%), Aspergillus fumigatus (2.05%), Rhizopus (1.75%), Fusarium (1.75%), Aspergillus tamori (1.46%) and Phoma (1.46%) were the most common. It was also shown that young adults were the most commonly affected; 67.8% of the patients suffered from both the diseases.
6. Epidemiological aspects of allergic bronchopulomonary aspergillosis
Aspergillus is a highly ubiquitous mould known to cause various forms of disease in man. However, there is uncertainty about the frequency of sensitization to Aspergillus in asthmatic population. The incidence of immediate skin reaction to Aspergillus varies from 16 to 23 percent. Such marked variation in the incidence of immediate skin reactivity to Aspergillus is probably as a result of lack of standardized antigen for testing. Allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA) was first reported in England in 1952. Since then a number of cases have been diagnosed and reported from many countries. The incidence of ABPA has been found to vary from 3.7 percent to 16 percent. There is a lack of diagnostic testing in remote areas, uniformity in the diagnostic criteria and proper standardization. Thus, epidemiological considerations will vary from place to place.
7. Association of family history of allergy in patients of asthma: Do parents confer more risk than grandparents? Heredity plays a major role in asthma and in other allergic disorders but the underlying mechanism of inheritances are poorly understood. The purpose of this study was to examine family patterns of allergic disorders in patients of asthma. It was a questionnaire-based study in
54 which patients of asthma and allergic diseases were evaluated for their family history of allergy. Twelve hundred patients were taken for the study. Atopic family history for asthma or other allergic conditions was present in 578 (48.1%) patients. Family history of asthma in parents and grandparents was noted in 36.8% and 19%, respectively. The family history of rhinitis was present in 17.6% of parents and 3.6% of grandparents. In our cohort, we observed that the presence of asthma, allergic rhinitis and eczema in parents increases the likelihood of occurrence of these diseases in their offsprings. Our result suggests that both parental and grandparental influences have a stronger association with asthma and other allergic conditions in patients, but parents confer more risk than the grandparents.
8. Banana sensitization in patients of respiratory illness including bronchial asthma
Banana is widely cultivated and consumed as nutrition diet all over the world. It is available almost whole year in major part of India. Type I hypersensitivity to banana has been reported from other countries. Banana allergens are known to cause sensitization in large number of latex allergy patients. The present study was aimed to determine prevalence of banana allergy and to investigate clinical features of acute reaction by standard in vivo and in vitro tests. Eleven hundred patients, visiting out-patient department of V.P. Chest Institute, Delhi were screened using a standard questionnaire during April 2002 to September 2003. The detailed history of illness was recorded and from the total, 192 patients gave history of allergy to banana on further evaluation, 56 (29.1%) patients revealed history of sensitization after intake of banana. Among these maximum number of patients having rhinitis with asthma followed by asthma and rhinitis alone. Skin prick tests with banana extracts showed marked positive reactivity in 21.4% patients, whereas prick to prick test demonstrated skin sensitivity in 22.7% patients. Specific IgE against banana allergens was observed elevated (OD 0.30 to 0.65; control OD 0.10) in sera of 19 patients. Oral challenge and double-blind placebo-controlled challenge with banana confirmed sensitization in six patients. The symptoms produced after challenge tests were rhinorhoea, sneezing, exacerbation of asthma, abdominal pain, oral allergy syndrome, etc. In conclusion, 8.9% patients of respiratory illness (rhinitis, asthma or both) showed allergic reaction to banana with mild to severe symptoms. Allergic patients including asthmatics are advised to undergo prick to prick test and food challenge tests before practicing avoidance of banana in their diet.
9. Prevalence of bronchial asthma and allergic rhinitis in a girls school in Delhi
To determine the prevalence of childhood asthma and rhinitis in children of a girls school in Delhi, and to establish the relationship between various factors associated with the disease, a questionnaire-based study was done. Two thousand three hundred questionnaires were distrib- uted among the students of a girls school in Delhi, to be completed by their parents at home. In total 2139 of the questionnaires were completed with an overall response of 93 percent. Five hundred forty three students (25.38%) were found to have some form of respiratory allergy, either bronchial asthma or allergic rhinitis. Nearly 15% children gave history of wheezing at some or the other time in their life. The prevalence of bronchial asthma and allergic rhinitis was found as 8.78% and 21.27%, respectively. Twenty-two percent children of allergic rhinitis had co-existent bronchial asthma, while 53.19% of bronchial asthma patients have co-existent allergic rhinitis. The preva- lence of allergic rhinitis increased with increasing age. Birth order and family income did not have any significant impact, except that bronchial asthma was more common in students belonging to very poor socio-economic background. The family history of allergic rhinitis or bronchial asthma was significantly more (p<0.05) in students suffering from allergic rhinitis or bronchial asthma. The
55 prevalence of bronchial asthma and allergic rhinitis was found as 8.78% and 21.27%, respectively.
10. Assessment of the effectiveness of sustained release bupropion and intensive physi- cian advice in smoking cessation
Tobacco use is the cause of immense burden on our nation in terms of mortality and morbidity, being the single leading cause of preventable illnesses and death. Smoking cessation interventions in our country will be the most cost effective of all interventions considering that the cost incurred on the three main tobacco related diseases (COPD, CAD, and Cancer) being around 27,761 crores in the year 1999. A double-blind placebo-controlled trial was conducted to see the efficacy of Bupropion in smoking cessation. The subjects (n=30) were randomly assigned to receive Bupropion SR 300 mg/day or placebo for seven weeks. Target quit date was preferentially 8th day of starting the treatment. Intensive counselling was provided by the physician at the baseline and brief counselling at every visit weekly during the treatment phase and at weeks 12 and 16. The seven day point prevalence abstinence rate at the end of week 2 and week 16 in the drug group was 46.67% and 53.33% respectively and in the placebo group it was 13.33% and 20% respectively with a P value of 0.04 and 0.05 respectively. Rate of continuous abstinence at weeks 4, 7 and 16 were 46.67%, 40% and 33.33% in the drug group and 13.33%, 13.33% and 13.33% in the placebo group respectively. The rates were significantly higher in the drug group till week 4 starting from week 2 of the treatment phase. The mean weight gain in the drug group was found to be significantly less as compared to the placebo at week 16 (P=0.025). The mean change of depression scores from the baseline was not significantly different between the two groups at any point of time. The withdrawal symptom score increase from the baseline was not significantly higher at any point of time in the drug group but in the placebo group the increase was significantly higher for seven days after target quit date and at week 3 and 4 (P<0.05). The most common adverse events in the drug group were insomnia in six (40%) patients and dry mouth and/or altered taste in four (26.67%) patients, which was significantly higher as compared to placebo. The univariate predictors of successful outcome at the point of prevalence abstinence at week 16 were older age (>40 years), (P=0.044) and quitter status at week 2 (P=0.001). Multivariate predictors in order of importance were quit status at week 2 (P=0.002) and age>40 years (P=0.031). The combined predictive value of these two variables was found to be 86.3 percent. Bupropion helps in smoking cessation. This study has also reflected this in the form of a significantly high 7-day prevalence abstinence at week 16 in the Bupropion group as compared to placebo.
11. Epidemiology of smoking habit of college students of University of Delhi, Delhi
To study the smoking habits of college students of University of Delhi, Delhi, India, one thousand one (673 males and 328 females) students from various colleges of Delhi University were surveyed during the study and information was collected through a pre-designed printed questionnaire. Eight- hundred and thirty-one (83%) students (619 males and 212 females) returned back the fiiled up questionnaires. Prevalence of tobacco use was 25 percent. Majority of students (56.7%) started tobacco use between the age of 16-20 years and 71.6% were smoking for the last 1-5 years. “For fun and pleasure” (82.7%) and “Peer pressure” (32.7%) were the most common reasons for starting smoking. Cigarette (98.6%) was the most common tobacco product used. Previous history to quit smoking was found in 41.8% of current smokers, while 54.3% showed their willingness to quit smoking at the time of survey. The reason for willingness to quit given by majority (64.6%) was awareness of harmful effects of tobacco. However, 95% of the students were aware of the harmful effects of tobacco. Family history of tobacco use was found in 51.6% of respondents (65.9%
56 smokers and 46.9% non-smokers). Public awareness measures should be the primary focus of governments especially in developing countries. Misleading advertising should also be dealt with severely.
12. Allergy to rice in Indian population: A chest hospital based survey
The knowledge about food allergy in India is scarce compared to western countries. A large number of food items such as peanut, fish, egg, lentil, banana, milk, wheat etc. have been reported allergenic inciting rhinitis, asthma and skin allergies. Rice is cultivated throughout and used as staple diet by a large population of the world. In India many asthmatics believe that rice can induce allergic reaction and thus aggravate breathlessness hence prefer to avoid it from their diet. The present study was undertaken to diagnose cases of rice allergy and educate people to manage their respiratory ailments effectively.
Out of 1200 cases screened using a questionnaire, 327 patients gave history of rice allergy. Skin prick tests carried out with rice extract demonstrated marked positive reactions in 20 (6.1%) patients. Specific IgE to rice was highly raised in these patients (ODs 0.51 to 0.70) as compared to normal controls (ODs 0.16). Oral food challenge in these cases confirmed allergy to rice in 10 (50%) patients. These patients experienced symptoms like rhinorrhoea, sneezing, severe breath- lessness, chest tightness, oral thrust, abdominal pain, urticaria, etc., after the challenge test with rice. The symptoms appeared within 15 to 60 minutes of rice intake. In conclusion, rice allergy could be confirmed in about 3% cases out of 327 patients who complained sensitization (history) with rice. The patients of asthma or rhinitis should undergo appropriate in vivo as well as in vitro tests to prepare their diet elimination programme.
13. Breath carbon monoxide concentration in cigarette and bidi smokers
To measure and compare the “Breath Carbon Monoxide Concentration” in cigarette and bidi smokers, a study was conducted on smokers who visited the “Tobacco Cessation Clinic” for quit- ting smoking at V.P. Chest Institute, Delhi, India. Breath CO concentration was measured in cigarette and bidi smokers using portable breath CO analyzer. Statistical analysis was done to see for any difference in breath CO concentration in the two groups. Average CO concentration in cigarette (n=207) and bidi smokers (n=70) was 10.45 ppm (SD± 6.55) and 15.26 ppm (SD ± 7.89) respectively. Statistical analysis of the exhaled breath CO concentration in cigarette and bidi smokers showed that CO level is more in bidi smokers compared to cigarette smokers. Our study negates, to some extent, the popular belief that bidi is less harmful than cigarette. However more studies need to be done before we come to a definite conclusion.
14. Do sputum eosinophilia and blood eosinophilia related to severity of asthma?
A study was undertaken to find out the relationship of severity of bronchial asthma with spu- tum and blood eosinophilia. Twenty-one patients of bronchial asthma (14 males and 7 females) with a mean age of 32±11 years were studied for severity of airflow obstruction, sputum eosino- philia and blood eosinophilia. Mild, moderate and severe obstruction was seen in ten, one and three patients, respectively. Blood eosinophil count of ≥ 8% was seen in 10 patients, (47.61%). Sputum eosinophil count of ≥ 3% was seen in 12 patients (57.14%). Raised eosinophil count in blood as well as in sputum was seen in seven patients (33.33%). Amongst them three patients had normal FEV1 while another four patients had mild airflow limitation. There is no correlation in the severity of obstruction and sputum eosinophilia or blood epsinophilia.
57 15. Epidemiological profile of smokers who seek treatment at a tobacco cessation clinic
The objective of our study was to identify the characteristics of smokers who currently seek treatment at Tobacco Cessation Clinic. This is a descriptive observational study. The target population consisted of 278 subjects who sought treatment at Tobacco Cessation Clinic at V.P. Chest Institute. The following variables were studied: age, sex, religion, marital status, occupation, smokeless tobacco user, smokers, number of cigarettes smoked per day, level of nicotine dependence (through Fagersrtom test), use of other potentially-addictive substances (especially alcohol), previous attempts to quit smoking, physical health problems, family history and expired air carbon monoxide (CO) level, presence of concomitant diseases, current reason for smoking cessation, etc. An initial medical history was taken in a pre-plan questionnaire. These individuals were enrolled in a 7-12 weeks tobacco cessation program that utilized both medical and cognitive- behavioural therapy as required after assessing the subjects. The results are presented in percentages and means with standard deviations (SD) and 95% confidence intervals (CI). Two hundred seventy-eight subjects were studied consisting of 273 (98.2%) males and 5 (1.8%) females. The average age being 36.08 years (SD ± 14.04). The majority of the subjects were Hindus (93.5%) followed by Muslims (5%) and Christians (1.4%). Most of the subjects were married (61.5%). Nearly 33% were students, followed by service class people (28.4%), businessman (20.1%) and others (18.7%). Mean nicotine-dependence (Fagerström Test score) was 4.94 (SD± 2.88). 34.2% of the subjects smoked their first cigarette/bidi within 5 minutes of waking. The mean number of years of smoking was 20.45 years (SD± 6.03). The concentration of CO in expired air measured at the time of initial interview (before start of smoking cessation) showed 26.3% as heavy smokers. History of previous attempts to quit smoking was present in 80 percent. The reason for present attempt to quit smoking was medical (45.3%), social (10.07%), and financial (6.83%). Smokers who attended to Tobacco Cessation Clinic were from younger age group. The prevalence of respiratory symptoms in this population is very low. Most of the subjects have multiple attempts of quitting and still they are enthusiastic and eager to quit smoking. The profile of the population seeking specialized smoking cessation as being student and younger age group, is expected to change in the future as if they quit right now at this age they might not suffer from the diseases in future.
58 Respiratory Virology
Research
1. Effect of zinc on influenza A virus induced apoptosis in HeLa cells
To investigate the process of influenza A virus induced cell death and the associated mor- phological changes, HeLa cells were infected with a cell adapted pathogenic strain of influenza A/
Udorn/317/72 (H3N2) virus. Such cells underwent typical caspase-dependent apoptosis, causing chromosomal DNA fragmentation into oligonucleosomes. When these cells were pretreated with zinc (0.2 mM), before 6 h p.i., a remarkable decrease in caspase-3 activity and DNA fragmentation was observed. Annexin-V assay of the infected cells at various time periods indicated that the membrane phosphatidylserine appeared on the surface of virus-infected cells. The cells pretreated with zinc (0.2 mM) also showed low Annexin-V staining and eventually low phosphatidylserine (PS) externalization suggesting an inhibitory effect of zinc in a time and dose dependent manner. It was further observed that when the infected HeLa cells were incubated with adherent macroph- ages, efficient phagocytosis occurred. At the same time, the release of virus into the culture medium was completely inhibited. Moreover, phagocytosis became evident at significant levels at 9 hour. These results suggest that influenza virus infection causes apoptotic death of cultured cells. They also indicate that phagocytosis of the infected cells by macrophages may be phosphatidylserine-mediated and that apoptosis-dependent phagocytosis of virus-infected cells may lead to direct elimination of the pathogen.
2. Resolution of immune response by TGF-β1 after infection of influenza A virus
TGF-β is a potent immunomodulator and regulates the inflammatory process in a complex biphasic fashion. The immune response to influenza A virus is characterized by an influx of both macrophages and lymphocytes into the lungs of the infected host. In general, the pathogenesis of influenza infection can be divided into two phases, the cellular events that precede lymphocyte invasion and those that follow it. We hypothesize that the TGF-β negatively regulates the inflam- matory response by regulating lymphocyte influx to the airway and further modulating release of proinflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines. Eight-week-old BALB/c mice were intranasally instilled with influenza A virus (A/Udorn/317/72/H3N2), 4.1x103 PFU of virus in 50µl of allantoic fluid or mock infected 50µl of allantoic fluid. Mice was injected intravenously with injection of rTGF- β1, 0.5µg/ Kg body weight. The mice were euthanized on days 3, and 6 post infection (p.i.) and bled for cytology and cytokine assay. An increase in lymphocyte count was observed both on day 3 p.i. and day 6 p.i. However, administration of rTGF-β1 with virus reduced the lymphocyte count. The level of IFN-γ was increased third day of p.i. However, it reduced to based level on sixth day of p.i. Simultaneous administration of rTGF-β1 with virus instillation inhibited release of IFN-β on third day and increased level of IL-10 to the maximum was observed till sixth day. Therefore, present study indicated that rTGF- β1 acts as an immunomodulatory cytokine and inhibits lymphopoesis and lymphocyte activation after virus infection. Thus, it modulates the inflammatory process by inhibiting IFN-γ a proinflammatory cytokine and increased release of IL-10, which is an anti-inflammatory cytokine. rTGF- β1 affects recruitment of inflammatory cells at the site of inflam- mation by inhibiting lymphocyte invasion and interfering cytokine mediated inflammatory cascade.
59 3. Study of virological and biochemical regulatory mechanism of influenza virus induced apoptosis in murine model of allergic asthma
The mice were distributed into five experimental groups, viz. control group, virus group, oval- bumin (OA) group, acute phase group and recovery phase group as to develop the murine model of allergic asthma. Male BALB/c mice of six weeks old were given intraperitonial injection of oval- bumin in PBS on 0 day, sensitized on 14th day and challenged with 0.1% OA in PBS on 27-29th day. The lung fluid was influenza positive by hemagglutination test (HA) and the bacterial culture was negative. Histopathological examination of lungs in different groups revealed epithelial dam- age with focal areas of reactive papillary hyperplasia. The parenchymal response consisted of both interstitial and intra-alveolar exudate of neutrophils and macrophages leading to focal areas of consolidation. In a few places, dense peribronchial lymphoid aggregates were seen as com- pared to normal controls. The lungs of the acute phase group have shown oedema, extravagated RBCs, lymphoepithelial proliferation, dense peribronchial lymphoid aggregates with fair number of neutrophils and eosinophils, infiltration of these cells into alveolar septae. In virus group similar changes have been observed but they were of low grade. Intense infiltration of inflammatory cells into alveolar walls and peribronchiolar lymphoid infiltration has also been observed in virus group. In ovalbumin group, extravagation of RBCs was more conspicuous. There is formation of oedema and peribronchiolar lymphoid infiltration. In recovery phase group, reduced epithelial damage and leukocytic influx, decreased inflammation of inter-alveolar septae, decreased fibrin and only lym- phoid aggregates (peribronchial) with few eosinophils were seen. (Principal Investigator: Dr Madhu Khanna, Co-investigator: Dr Sonal Sharma)
4. Genetic analysis of influenza virus in clinical specimens by rapid molecular techniques
Thirty-five nasopharyngeal swab (NPS) and throat swab specimens from the patients of upper respiratory tract infection, attending the out-patient department of Maulana Azad Medical College (MAMC), Delhi, were collected. After processing, the specimens were inoculated into various cell lines, viz. MDCK and Hep2. Influenza virus was isolated from the four specimens exhibiting cytopathic effect (CPE) after 48 hours of incubation, which was confirmed by haemagglutination inhibition test. These specimens were stored at -80 0C for further characterization and typing of influenza virus by Restriction Fragmentation Length Polymorphism (RFLP), Single Strand Conformation Polymorphism (SSCP) and Hetroduplex Mobility Assay (HMA) techniques.
Standardization of the protocol for three molecular techniques, namely RFLP, SSCP and HMA for the rapid genetic analysis and characterization of clinical isolates is in process.
60 DST Centre for Visceral Mechanisms
Research
Human studies are being carried out on the following two projects:
(i) Origin of exercise hyperpnoea using a physiological model of exercise, and
(ii) Influence of stimulating the Juxtapulmonary capillary (J) receptors by physiological and chemical stimuli on exercise parameters.
61 The INSA Honorary Scientists Scheme
Research
1. Efficacy of swabbing versus a conventional technique for isolation of Cryptococcus neoformans from decayed wood in tree trunk hollows
In the course of further studies on the natural habitats of Cryptococcus neoformans, attention was focused on developing a more efficacious isolation technique. Accordingly, the efficacy of swabbing versus a conventional sedimentation technique was evaluated for sampling of decayed wood in tree trunk hollows for isolation of Cryptococcus neoformans. Of 52 samples of decayed wood, bark or other plant debris originating from 35 living trees, 42 wood samples yielded C. neoformans. The positive samples included 40 collected from 31 Syzygium cumini trees growing along roadsides in Old Delhi, wheresas the remaining two were from inside tree trunk fissures of Ficus religiosa in a New Delhi locality. The number of wood samples found positive by swabbing was 40 (95%) as opposed to 32 (76%) by the conventional technique, and this difference was statistically significant (P< 0.01). Also, the conventional technique showed 24% false negative results, in strong contrast to only 5% by swabbing. Furthermore, swabbing yielded a significantly higher C. neoformans mean colony count than did the conventional technique (P<0.005), thus highlighting greater efficacy of the former technique. The overall prevalence of C. neoformans in the S. cumini trees investigated was 84% (26/31 trees) which is the highest as yet reported from any tree species in India. Varietal identification and serotyping was done with 33 of the C. neoformans isolates, 31 of which came from 23 tree trunk hollows of S. cumini and two from the tree trunk fissures of F. religiosa. Among the S. cumini isolates, 26 were identified as C. neoformans var. gattii (all serotype B except two untypeable ones) and five as C. neoformans var. neoformans, serotype A (= C. neoformans var. grubii). Both of the F. religiosa isolates belonged to C. n.var. neoformans, serotype A. Being a more efficacious, simple, less time-consuming and less hazard- ous technique, swabbing is recommended for wider use in order to further elucidate the ecology of C. neoformans.
2. In vitro bio-interactions between Candida species, Aspergillus fumigatus and other human pathogenic fungi
Aspergillus fumigatus, strain SP 31/2K, showed in vitro inhibition by all of the 3 test strains of Candida albicans and 4 of Candida glabrata. It was noted that the degree of A. fumigatus inhibition varied with the antagonist fungal strain as also with the experimental design. In mixed streak cultures on Sabouraud agar (peptone-1%, glucose- 2%, agar- 2%, pΗ- 7) the inhibition varied from 55-85% with C. albicans strains and 85-95% with C. glabrata strains. In the two-member circular or U-shaped streak culture, the inhibitory effect was less marked, especially with the C. albicans strains. It was further shown that the inhibitory spectrum of C. albicans and C. glabrata extended to Aspergillus flavus, A. niger and Penicillium marneffei.
Exploratory investigations on the mechanism of inhibition revealed that the in vitro inhibition of A. fumigatus was markedly higher in sealed Sabouraud agar cultures than in unsealed cultures, suggesting that an important attribute of the inhibitory metabolite(s) released by C. albicans and C. glabrata was their volatile character. However, a detailed experiment ruled out the possibility that the inhibitory agent might be carbon dioxide as has been reported in the in vitro bio-interactions
62 between C. albicans and T. mentagrophytes. Besides, the results of additional experiments indi- cated that acidification of the medium might have a subsidiary role in the inhibition of A. fumigatus by C. albicans. The investigations done underscore the complexities of the inhibition mechanism that can be unravelled only through a long-term study.
The results of a series of experiments indicated that incorporation of 5 µg/ml of fluconazole in Sabouraud agar plates led to improved recovery of A. fumigatus from mixed streak culture with C. albicans, as also from 2 sputum specimens experimentally seeded with the same antagonistic fungi. A definitive conclusion about the efficacy of Sabouraud fluconazole agar for enhanced isola- tion of A. fumigatus must, however, await more extensive trials, employing a larger number of test strains of the interacting fungi.
63 Postgraduate Training and Teaching
The Institute has been conducting PhD programmes (Medical Sciences) since its inception in various specialities relating to chest diseases, e.g., allergy and immunology, bacteriology, respi- ratory medicine, mycology, pharmacology, physiology, virology, etc. Besides this, the Institute conducts MD courses in pulmonary medicine, biochemistry, microbiology, pharmacology and physi- ology. It also conducts a Diploma course in tuberculosis and chest diseases (DTCD).
DTCD
Session 2002 - 2004 Session 2003 - 2005
1. Dr Manisha Kaushik 1. Dr Ruchi Arora 2. Dr Anant Kumar 2. Dr Deepak Bansal 3. Dr Rahul Madoiya 3. Dr Uday Aditya Gupta 4. Dr Nikhil Malhotra 4. Dr Kailashchandra Joshi 5. Dr Anupam Malik 5. Dr Jai Kumar Kriplani 6. Dr Shashank Sharma 6. Dr Vijay Kumar 7. Dr Ayushi Sikka 7. Dr R. Murali 8. Dr Manoj Singhania 8. Dr Sujata Natarajan 9. Dr Nagendra Kumar Shulania
64 MD Degrees (Awarded) (Session : 2000 - 2003)
S. No. Name Discipline
1. Dr Ajay Gupta Pulmonary Medicine 2. Dr Vikash Maurya Pulmonary Medicine 3. Dr Pankaj Singhal Pulmonary Medicine 4. Dr Tajender Singh Vasu Pulmonary Medicine 5. Dr Bhawna Mahajan Biochemistry 6. Dr Monika Jain Microbiology
65 MD Theses (Submitted) (Session : 2001-2004)
Sl. No. Name (Discipline) Title of Theses Supervisor(s)
1. Dr Amit Dhamija A comparision of conventional treatment Dr V.K. Vijayan (Pulmonary Medicine) with or without non-invasive bilevel positive airway pressure ventilation in acute exacerbation of COPD
2. Dr Krishan Gupta Effect of pulmonary rehabilitation Prof. S.N. Gaur (Pulmonary Medicine) programme on disability in patients with chronic diffuse lung fibrosis
3. Dr Puneet Khanna Assessment of sensory perceptions and Prof. Ashok Shah (Pulmonary Medicine) preference of patients with allergic rhinitis to intranasal corticosteroid sprays
4. Dr Shivu Kaushik Assessment of evaluative and Prof. S.K. Chhabra (Pulmonary Medicine) discriminative properties of a generic (SF-36) and specific quality of life instrument (AQLQ) in asthmatics
5. Dr Pranav Singh Effectiveness of sustained release Dr Raj Kumar (Pulmonary Medicine) bupropion and intensive physician advise in smoking cessation
6. Dr Pulkit Khurana Studies on transacetylase catalyzed Prof. H.G. Raj (Med. Biochemistry) modification of nitric oxide synthase Prof. Mridula Bose activity in human platelets by 7, 8-diacetoxy-4-methylcoumarin
7. Dr Naveen Gupta Effect of lead on airway smooth muscle Prof. M. Fahim (Physiology) activity in rats
66 MD Theses (Pursued) (Session : 2002-2005)
Sl. No. Name (Discipline) Title of Theses Supervisor(s)
1. Dr Rohit Caroli Cardiorespiratory responses to Dr V.K. Vijayan (Pulmonary Medicine) exercise in patients with mild to moderate bronchial asthma
2. Dr Susheel K. Bindroo Effect of home-based comprehensive Prof. S.N. Gaur (Pulmonary Medicine) pulmonary rehabilitation programme on disability in patients with persistent bronchial asthma
3. Dr Amit Sharma To determine the frequency of co- Prof. Ashok Shah (Pulmonary Medicine) occurrence of allergic rhinitis and bronchial asthma and to assess the effect of exposure to environmental tobacco smoke in patients with bronchial asthma and /or rhinitis
4. Dr Tarun Chugh Physiological and radiological Dr Raj Kumar (Pulmonary Medicine) characteristics in patients of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
5. Dr Parag Vohra Studies on the acetoxy drug: Protein Prof. H.G. Raj (Med. Biochemistry) transacetylase catalysed activation of nitric oxide synthase in tracheal smooth muscle cells by polyphenolic acetates
6. Dr Anurag Yadav A clinical study to assess the relation- Prof. A. Ray (Pharmacology) ship between smoking and pulmonary Dr V.K. Vijayan tuberculosis and its regulation by reactive nitrogen species
7. Dr Manoj Kumar The effect of deep inspiration on Prof. K. Ravi (Medical Physiology) maximal expiratory flows in asthmatics: Prof. S.K. Chhabra Relationship to disease severity and modulation by anti-asthma drugs
8. Dr Shweta Rawall Induction of apoptosis during influenza Dr Madhu Khanna (Respiratory Virology) A virus infection: A study in tissue culture Dr V.K. Vijayan cells
67 MD – Ist Year (Session : 2003-2006)
S. No. Name Discipline
1. Dr Amit Bansal Pulmonary Medicine 2. Dr Pankaj Chhabra Pulmonary Medicine 3. Dr Nitin Goel Pulmonary Medicine 4. Dr Vikas Mittal Pulmonary Medicine 5. Dr Om Prakash Pulmonary Medicine 6. Dr Ruchika Gulati Biochemistry 7. Dr Rashmi Puri Microbiology 8. Dr Priyanka Narayan Pharmacology
68 PhD Awarded/Submitted
Sl. No. Name (Discipline) Title of Theses Supervisor(s) Status 1. Ms Sumbul Fatma Transmembrane signalling Prof. S.K. Bansal Awarded (Med. Biochemistry) during asthmogen cell Prof. M.K. Agarwal interaction : Role of protein Prof. S.K. Chhabra kinase C in peripheral blood lymphocytes and airway smooth muscle of guinea pigs 2. Ms Shalu Gupta Study on the heterogeneity of Prof. S.K. Bansal Awarded (Med. Biochemistry) immune response to insect Prof. M.K. Agarwal allergens in patients with IgE Dr V.K. Vijayan mediated type I allergic respi- ratory diseases and antigenic and allergenic relationship among them
3. Mr Shamweel Ahmad Molecular characterization of Prof. S.S. Thukral Awarded (Microbiology) clinical isolates of Corynebact- erium diphtheriae 4. Ms Divya Venugopal Isolation and characterization Prof. Mridula Bose Awarded (Microbiology) of native plasmid from clinical isolates of Mycobacterium avium-intracellulare 5. Mr Ashwini Kumar A study in understanding the Prof. Mridula Bose Submitted (Microbiology) virulence of tuberculosis by Prof. Vani analysing polymorphism and Brahmachari expression profile of mce (ACBR, University operons of M. tuberculosis of Delhi)
6. Ms Kaveri Chakrabarty Effect of simulated high altitude Prof. M. Fahim Submitted (Physiology) exposure on airway smooth muscle activity: Role of nitric oxide and other epithelium derived factors 7. Mr Hari Nath Cardiovascular responses to Prof. M. Fahim Submitted (Physiology) severe cold and hypoxia in man 8. Ms Soheila Fazli Tabei Effect of lead exposure on dopa- Prof. M. Fahim Submitted (Physiology) mine receptor mediated changes in behaviour and mechanism of action of lead on vascular smooth muscle response in rats
9. Mr Pankaj Kumar Molecular diagnosis of influenza Prof. H.G. Raj Submitted (Biomedical Sciences) virus in clinical specimens and Dr Madhu Khanna study of pathogenesis of influenza virus in human and murine model
69 PhD Theses (Pursued)
Sl. No. Name (Discipline) Title of Theses Supervisor(s) Year of Registration
1. Mr Ahmad Nadeem Oxidant-antioxidant balance in Prof. H.G. Raj 2000 (Med. Biochemistry) asthma and COPD: Evaluation Prof. S.K. Chhabra of the role of alpha-tocopherol in treatment
2. Mr Manoj Tyagi Signalling mechanism during Prof. S.K. Bansal 2001 (Med. Biochemistry) the expression of proinflammatory Dr V.K. Vijayan cytokines in asthma : A study on role of protein kinase C in macrophage activation and release of interleukin-1 beta
3. Ms Garima Gupta Studies on purification, Prof. H.G. Raj 2002 (Med. Biochemistry) characterization and molecular Prof. M. Bose cloning of acetoxy drug: Protein transacetylase from Mycobacterium smegmatis
4. Mr Ajit Kumar Studies on biochemical actions Prof. H.G. Raj 2002 (Med. Biochemistry) of oxygen containing hetrocyclic Dr A.K. Prasad polyphenols and their acetates Chemistry Deptt., on drug metabolism University of Delhi
5. Mr Vikram Srivastava Role of apoptosis in the pathoge- Dr Madhu Khanna 2004 (Medical Microbiology) nesis of influenza A virus, Dr V.K. Vijayan correlation of virological and immunological parameters: A study in human and murine model
6. Mr Sujeet Kumar Molecular analysis of Mycobac- Prof. Mridula Bose 2000 (Microbiology) terium avium complex isolates by Prof. Madalsa Mathur using restriction fragment length (UCMS, Delhi) polymorphism and PCR typing
7. Mr Sugata Roy Cytokine mediated transcriptional Prof. Mridula Bose 2000 (Microbiology) induction of human inducible nitric Dr Mandira Varma oxide synthase gene in the lung epithelial cell line A549 infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis
8. Ms Anbrin Masood Studies on the neuroimmunomo- Prof. A. Ray 2000 (Pharmacology) dulatory role of nitric oxide (NO) Prof. B.D. Banerjee in stress (UCMS, Delhi)
70 Sl. No. Name (Discipline) Title of Theses Supervisor(s) Year of Registration 9. Dr Vishal Bansal Mechanism of action of estrogen Prof. M. Fahim 2000 (Physiology) on hemodynamic parameters in rabbits
10. Ms Sujata Upadhyay Role of oxidative stress in the Prof. K. Ravi 2001 (Physiology) induction of bronchial hyper- Prof. S.K. Chhabra responsiveness and its modulation by dietary anti-oxidant vitamins C and E in guinea pigs
11. Mr NamdarYousefvand Cardiovascular functions on Prof. M. Fahim 2002 (Physiology) exposure to arsenic in rats
12. Ms Mahin Dianat Effect of morphine on neural Prof. M. Fahim 2002 (Physiology) regulation of blood pressure and behaviour in animals
71 Faculty Members Associated as Co-supervisors for PhD Theses of Other Institutions
Sl. No. Name (Discipline) Title of Theses Supervisor(s) Status
1. Ms Ekta Kohli Studies on biotransformation of Prof. N.K. Kaushik Awarded (Chemistry) acetoxy-4-methyl coumarins with (Chemistry Deptt., special reference to the role of University of Delhi) acetoxy drug: Protein Prof. H.G. Raj transacetylase
2. Dr Deepa Gadre Isolation, identification and Prof. Vibha Talwar Submitted (Microbiology) plasmid profiles of non-tuberculous (UCMS, Delhi) mycobacteria isolated from Prof. Mridula Bose hospital patients and environment
3. Mr Robinson Arterial baroreflex responses Prof. V.M. Ahuja Submitted Jhallabhai during experimentally induced (MAMC, New Delhi) (Physiology) hypercholesterolemia in rabbits Prof. M. Fahim
4. Ms Ranju Kumari Studies on molecular mechanisms Prof. K. Muralidharan Pursued (Med. Biochemistry) of acetyl–CoA independant (Zoology Deptt., acetylation University of Delhi) Prof. H.G. Raj
5. Ms Seema Studies on acetoxy drug protein Prof. R.C. Rastogi Pursued (Med. Biochemistry) transacetylase (Chemistry Deptt., University of Delhi) Prof. H.G. Raj
6. Ms Bano Saidullah Bronchial reactivity in diabetic Prof. K. Muralidharan Pursued (Physiology) guinea pigs/rats (Zoology Deptt., University of Delhi) Prof. M. Fahim
7. Mr M. Irfan Beig Neural and cardiovascular Dr Anju Katyal Pursued (Physiology) responses during epilepsy (Dr B.R. Ambedkar in conscious animals Centre for Biomedical Research, University of Delhi) Prof. M. Fahim
72 Distinguished Visitors
1. Dr Shoibal Mukherjee, Senior Director (Medical), Pfizer Limited, Mumbai. Title of Lecture: Ethical issues in clinical research. (August 7, 2003)
2. Dr Douglas Bettcher, FCTC Coordinator, Tobacco Free Initiative WHO team from Geneva and others visited Tobacco Cessation Clinic (TCC), V.P. Chest Institute. They appreciated work done by TCC, VPCI and distributed certificates to quitters. (September 22, 2003).
3. Dr D.S. Tiwary, Adviser, DST, Govt. of India, New Delhi. (December 4, 2003)
4. Prof. Gautam Chaudhuri, Executive Chair, Department of OBG and Department of Pharmacology, UCLA School of Medicine, Los Angeles, USA. (December 4, 2003)
5. Prof. R. Raveendran, Department of Pharmacology, JIPMER, Pondicherry. (December 4, 2003)
6. Prof. A.N. Maitra, Department of Chemistry, University of Delhi, Delhi. (December 8, 2003)
7. Dr Arun Balakrishnan, Centre for Biotechnology, Anna University, Chennai. (December 8, 2003)
8. Prof. Indira Ghosh, Head, Department of Bioinformatics, University of Pune, Pune. (December 8, 2003)
9. Prof. R.K. Goyal, General Secretary, Indian Pharmacological Society, Ahmedabad. (December 8, 2003)
73 Awards/Honours
Dr V.K. Vijayan
• Re-elected as International Regent for India, American College of Chest Physicians, U.S.A. • President-Elect, Indian Society for Bronchology. • Editor-in-Chief and Publisher, The Indian Journal of Chest Diseases & Allied Sciences, an official publication of the V.P. Chest Institute and the National College of Chest Physicians (India). • Member, Editorial Advisory Board, Chest (Indian Edition), an official publication of American College of Chest Physicians, U.S.A. • Member, Editorial Advisory Board, Thorax (Indian Edition), an official journal of British Thoracic Society, U.K. • Member, International Advisory Board, Internal Medicine Journal of Thailand, an official publication of the Royal College of Physicians of Thailand, Thailand. • Member, International Advisory Board, The Journal of Enviornmental Medicine, Thailand, published under the Enviornmental Medicine Centre, Mettapracharak Hospital (What Rai Khing). • Member, Editorial Advisory Board, Lung India, an official publication of the Indian Chest Society. • Member, Editorial Board, Indian Journal of Tuberculosis, an official publication of the Tuberculosis Association of India, New Delhi. • Member, Editorial Advisory Committee, Pulmon, an official publication of the Academy of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine. • Referee to Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR), Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), Department of Science & Technology (DST) and Department of Biotechnology (DBT) for evaluation of extra-mural projects. • Member, Expert Group on “Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome”, Directorate General of Health Services, Government of India, New Delhi. • Member, Project Review Committee (PRC) for the Division of Non-Communicable Dis- eases (NCD) for the areas of Bio Engineering, Environment and ENT, Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), New Delhi. • Member, Project Review Committee of Indo-US Joint Working Group, Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), New Delhi. • Advisor to Union Public Service Commission to assist the Personality Test Board for interviewing candidates who have qualified in the Combined Medical Services Examination. • External Expert to select a Deputy Director at National Institute of Occupational Health, Ahmedabad.
74 • External Expert to select Junior Medical Specialist, LRS Institute of TB & Respiratory Diseases, New Delhi. • Expert Member, National Workshop on Crisis in Medical Education – Revision of Regulations, Medical Council of India, New Delhi.
Prof. M. Fahim • Selected for ICSU-TWAS-UNESCO Visiting Professorship Programme sponsored by International Council for Science (ICSU) - The Third World Academy of Science (TWAS) - United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). • Member, Editorial Board, Journal of Applied Physiology, an official publication of the American Physiological Society, U.S.A. • Member, Expert Panel of Australian Heart Foundation for sanctioning Research Grants to Institutions in Australia. • Expert Member, Research Advisory Panel for Defence Institute of Physiology and Allied Sciences, (DIPAS), Delhi. • Member of the steering Committee to monitor progress of the project on “Development of Integrated Software for Quantification of Autonomic Tone” submitted by All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi. • Member, Academic Council, Jamia Millia Islamia University, New Delhi. • External Expert in the Board of Research Studies, Jamia Millia Islamia University, New Delhi. • Expert Panel, Recruitment and Assessment Centre, Defence Institute of Physiology and Allied Sciences, (DIPAS), Delhi.
Prof. S.N. Gaur • Medical Expert, Rajasthan Public Service Commission, for the Selection Committee for Assistant Professor (TB & Chest Diseases). • Editor, The Indian Journal of Allergy, Asthma and Applied Immunology, an official publication of the Indian College of Allergy, Asthma and Applied Immunology.
Prof. S.S. Thukral
• Appointed as the Convener for Medical Microbiology Course for M.Sc-Ph.D degree programme of Dr B. R. Ambedkar Centre for Biomedical Research, University of Delhi, Delhi.
Prof. A. Ray
• Member, Expert Committee for selection of Professor of Pharmacology at the Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh.
75 • Member, Expert Committee for selection of senior technical staff, Central Drug Research Institute, Lucknow.
Prof. Mridula Bose
• Member, Editorial Board, The Indian Journal of Chest Diseases and Allied Sciences, an official publication of the V.P. Chest Institute and the National College of Chest Physicians (India). • Secretary, Indian Association of Medical Microbiologists (Delhi Chapter).
Prof. Ashok Shah • Visiting Professor, University of Mississippi Medical Centre, Jackson, Mississippi, USA. • Member, Scientific Advisory Committee, Indian Council of Medical Research – National Informatics Centre for Biomedical Information, National Informatics Centre, New Delhi. • Editor, The Indian Journal of Chest Diseases & Allied Sciences, an official publication of the V.P. Chest Institute and the National College of Chest Physicians (India). • Member, Editorial Board, The Indian Journal of Tuberculosis, an official publication of the Tuberculosis Association of India, New Delhi. • Member, Editorial Board, The Indian Journal of Allergy, Asthma and Applied Immunology, an official publication of the Indian College of Allergy, Asthma and Applied Immunology. • Member, Editorial Board, Current Medical Trends, Jaipur. • Member, National Committee on “ Bibliographic Biomedical Database from Indian Litera- ture”, National Informatics Centre, New Delhi. • Member, Technical Committee – Lala Ram Swaroop Institute of Tuberculosis and Respi- ratory Diseases. • Joint Secretary, National College of Chest Physicians (India). • Joint Secretary, Indian College of Allergy, Asthma & Applied Immunology.
Prof. S.K. Chhabra
• Advisor on Indoor Air Pollution and Environmental Health, Tata Energy Research Institute (TERI), New Delhi. • Member, Research Advisory Committee, Cipla Research Foundation, Pune. • Associate Editor, The Indian Journal of Chest Diseases and Allied Sciences, an official publication of the V.P. Chest Institute and the National College of Chest Physicians (India). • Member, Editorial Board, The Indian Journal of Allergy, Asthma and Applied Immunology, an official publication of the Indian College of Allergy, Asthma and Applied Immunology.
76 Prof. K. Ravi
• Member, Governing Body, Lady Hardinge Medical College, New Delhi.
Prof. S.K. Bansal • General Secretary, Biotechnology Society of India.
• Visiting Professor, B.P. Koirala Institute of Health Sciences, Dharan, Nepal.
• Member, Board of Examiners in Medical Biochemistry for conducting the viva-vioce examination of two Ph.D. candidates in Faculty of Medical Sciences, Chowdhury Charan Singh University, Meerut.
Prof. H.C. Gugnani
• Best Paper Award, awarded by the Indian Association of Medical Microbiologists at the 27th National Conference of Indian Association of Medical Microbiologists held in Mumbai (November 6-9, 2003). Title of the paper: Prevalence of Penicillium marneffei in bamboo rats in India.
• Elected as the President, Society for Indian Human and Animal Mycologists.
Dr Raj Kumar
• Member, Editorial Board, The Indian Journal of Chest Diseases and Allied Sciences, an official publication of the V.P. Chest Institute and the National College of Chest Physicians (India). • Member, Editorial Board, The Indian Journal of Allergy, Asthma and Applied Immunology, an official publication of the Indian College of Allergy, Asthma and Applied Immunology. • Associate Editor, Journal of Occupational Health and Environmental Medicine from Indian Association of Occupational Health (Delhi State).
Dr Anuradha Chowdhary • Awarded the BOYSCAST Fellowship by the Department of Science and Technology, Ministry of Science and Technology, Govt. of India, New Delhi from August 2003 - July 2004 at Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Mycotic Diseases Branch, Division of Bacterial and Mycotic Diseases, Atlanta, GA, U.S.A.
77 Dr Rajinder Bajaj • Member, Animal Ethics Committee, Dr B.R. Ambedkar Centre for Biomedical Research, University of Delhi, Delhi.
• Member, Animal Ethics Committee, Department of Biosciences, Jamia Millia Islamai, New Delhi.
• Member, Animal Ethics Committee, Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology, Delhi.
Dr Ashima Anand • Kshanika Oration Award was received for her outstanding research work on “Cardio- respiratory control mechanisms” from the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), New Delhi.
• Elected to the Fellowship of the Third World Academy of Sciences (TWAS), Trieste, Italy.
Prof. H.S. Randhawa • Re-elected as Member, Editorial Board of Medical Mycology, bimonthly periodical of International Society for Human & Animal Mycology.
Dr Krishan Gupta (MD Student) • Young Scientist Award was received for his paper entitled “Effect of domiciliary rehabili- tation programme on disability in patients with diffuse lung fibrosis” at NAPCON-2003, Coimbatore, November 12-16, 2003.
Dr Amit Dhamija (MD Student) • NAPCON-2003 Awards-II Prize for his paper entitled “Non-invasive ventilation in mild to moderate cases of respiratory failure due to acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pul- monary disease” at NAPCON-2003, Coimbatore, November 12-16, 2003.
Dr Yogesh Kumar Tyagi (Young Scientist) • Young Scientist Award was received at the occasion of “National Science Day-2004” organized by the Science and Technology Department, Uttar Pradesh Government, Lucknow, February 28, 2004.
78 Sponsored Research Projects
S. Faculty Member Title of Project Funding Agency, Budget No. (Department) Date of Sanction and (in Rs.) Duration
1. Prof. H.G. Raj Discovery of the new enzyme D.B.T. 29 Lakhs (Biochemistry) acetoxy drug: Protein transacety- June 3, 2002 lase form lung and liver-studies on (Three years) isolation, purification and molecular cloning
2. Prof. S.K. Bansal Studies on mechanism of signal I.C.M.R. 14.45 Lakhs (Biochemistry) transduction during release of November 20, 2001 (Upto two proinflammatory cytokines IL-1β (Three years) and half and TNF-α by alveolar years) macrophages in asthma
3. Prof. S.K. Chhabra Effect of high dietary sodium D.S.T. 17.38 Lakhs (C.R. Physiology) intake and inhibition of sodium- July 21, 2000 potassium adenosine triphos- (Three years) phatase on induction of asthma in guinea pigs
4. Prof. S.K. Chhabra Oxidant-antioxidant balance in I.C.M.R. 4.47 Lakhs (C.R. Physiology) bronchial asthma: Evaluation of September 4, 2001 the role of alpha-tocopherol in (Two years and treatment three months)
5. Prof. S.K. Chhabra Potentiation of allergic asthma I.C.M.R. 12 Lakhs (C.R. Physiology) by air pollution: The ozone-allergen January 23, 2002 interaction and its modulation by dietary anti-oxidants, alpha- tocopherol and ascorbic acid
6. Prof. H.C. Gugnani Studies on epidemiology and I.C.M.R. 6.64 Lakhs (Medical Mycology) aspects of immunodiagnostics of July 3, 2001 Penicilliosis marneffei (Two and half years)
7. Prof. S.S. Thukral Molecular characterization of I.C.M.R. 14.84 Lakhs (Microbiology) clinical isolates of C. diptheriae September 14, 2001 (Three years)
8. Prof. Mridula Bose Isolation and molecular characte- D.S.T. 18.12 Lakhs (Microbiology) rization of a plasmid from clinical June 12, 2000 isolates of Mycobacterium avium (Three years) intracellulare
9. Prof. Mridula Bose Analysis of polymorphism and I.C.M.R. 12.96 Lakhs (Microbiology) expression profile of genes of the March 8, 2002 (Upto IInd mammalian cell entry (mce) operons (Three years) year) in clinical isolates of M. tuberculosis
79 S. Faculty Member Title of Project Funding Agency, Budget No. (Department) Date of Sanction and (in Rs.) Duration 10. Prof. Mridula Bose Mycobacterial-epithelial interaction I.C.M.R. 5 .96 Lakhs (Microbiology) in innate immune response to December 5, 2003 tuberculosis and its role in (One year) transcriptional regulation of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) 11. Prof. Mridula Bose Analysis of isoniazid and rifampicin I.C.M.R. 6.09 Lakhs (Microbiology) resistance mutations in the clinical January 8, 2003 (Ist year) isolates of M. tuberculosis by (Three years) sequencing and dot-blot hybridization 12. Dr Mandira Varma Prevalence of Mycoplasma I.C.M.R. 4.37 Lakhs (Microbiology) pneumoniae infection in patients March 12, 2003 (Ist year) of acute exacerbation of COPD: (Three years) Evaluation by different diagnostic techniques 13. Prof. A. Ray Studies on the possible role of D.S.T. 17.11 Lakhs (Pharmacology) nitric oxide in the regulation of February 16, 2001 neuro-behavioural and immuno- (Three years) logical responses during stress 14. Prof. A. Ray A multicentric, double blind Lupin Ltd. 0.91 Lakhs (Pharmacology) randomized placebo controlled August 18, 2003 study evaluating the efficacy and (One year) tolerability of the polyherbal preparation LL-2123 HP against hepato-toxicity in patients with pulmonary tuberculosis 15. Prof. A. Ray Possible protective role of Livina Dey’s Medical Stores 2.99 Lakhs (Pharmacology) (a polyherbal preparation) against Mfg. Ltd. anti-tubercular therapy (ATT)- June 6, 2003 induced hepatotoxicity (One year) 16. Prof. M. Fahim Effect of simulated high altitude D.R.D.O. 1.5 Lakhs (Physiology) exposure on airway smooth muscle December 22, 1999 activity : Role of nitric oxide and (Upto March 2004) other epithelium derived factors 17. Prof. M. Fahim Arterial baroreflex responses during U.G.C. 6.04 Lakhs (Physiology) experimentally induced hypercho- April 18, 2001 lestterolemia in rabbits (Three years) 18. Prof. M. Fahim, Establishment of Patch Clamp D.S.T. 56.70 Lakhs Prof. K. Ravi and Lab & Cell Culture Facility under February 3, 2003 Dr Vishal Bansal Funds for Improvement in Science (Five years) (Physiology) and Technology (FIST) programme
80 S. Faculty Member Title of Project Funding Agency, Budget No. (Department) Date of Sanction and (in Rs.) Duration 19. Prof. M. Fahim Cardio-protective role and mecha- C.S.I. R. 3.13 Lakhs (Physiology) nism of action of 17 β estradiol in May 2, 2003 (Ist year) anaesthetized animals (Three years)
20. Dr V.K. Vijayan Study on prevalence of asthma I.C.M.R. 10.43 Lakhs (Respiratory January 10, 2002 Medicine) (Two years and two months) 21. Dr V.K. Vijayan Prevalence of sleep related D.S.T. 10.21 Lakhs (Respiratory breathing disorders in Indian September 11, 2002 Medicine) adults (Three years) 22. Dr V.K. Vijayan Tobacco Cessation Clinic at W.H.O. 2.14 Lakhs and Dr Raj Kumar V.P. Chest Institute during the February 23, 2004 (Respiratory year 2004 and conducting (One year) Medicine) related activities
23. Prof. S.N. Gaur Clinico-immunologic studies on D.S.T. 5.08 Lakhs (Respiratory allergen specific immunotherapy January 16, 2004 Medicine) in patients of respiratory allergy (Three years) 24. Dr Raj Kumar Studies on foods as sensitizing I.C.M.R. 16.16 Lakhs (Respiratory and inducing factors of allergy December 31, 2001 Medicine) disorders with special reference (Three years) to bronchial asthma 25. Dr Raj Kumar Anti-smoking campaign and W.H.O. 9.40 Lakhs (Respiratory intervention against smoking for September 27, 2002 Medicine) Delhi University college students (Upto June 2004)
26. Dr Raj Kumar Effect of indoor air pollution on Ministry of Environment 20.97 Lakhs (Respiratory respiratory function of children and Forest Medicine) October 7, 2003 (Three years) 27. Dr Madhu Khanna Genetic analysis of influenza D.S.T. 18.27 Lakhs (Respiratory virus in clinical specimens by October 1, 2003 Virology) rapid molecular techniques (Three years) 28. Dr Madhu Khanna Study of virological and biochemical C.S.I.R. 10.19 Lakhs (Respiratory regulatory mechanism of influenza March 3, 2003 (IInd year) Virology) virus induced apoptosis in murine (Three years) model of allergic asthma
29. Dr Sujata K. Dass Role of meta-alloporphyrins in D.S.T. 11.70 Lakhs DST’s SERC Fast modulating the malaria induced February 21, 2003 Track Scheme for hemolytic anaemia in mouse model (Three years) Young Scientist (Biochemistry)
81 S. Faculty Member Title of Project Funding Agency, Budget No. (Department) Date of Sanction and (in Rs.) Duration 30. Dr Yogesh Kumar Designing substrates specific D.S.T. 11.94 Lakhs Tyagi for the acetoxy drug: Protein June 12, 2003 DST’s SERC Fast transacetylase with a view (Three years) Track Scheme for to target functional proteins Young Scientist (Biochemistry)
31. Dr Sadhna Sharma Infection of human monocyte D.S.T. 11.64 Lakhs DST’s SERC Fast derived macrophages with M. June 6, 2002 Track Scheme for tuberculosis induces apoptosis of (Three years) Young Scientist T cells: A potential mechanism (Microbiology) for persistent infection 32. Mr Sujeet Kumar PCR and RFLP typing of the C.S.I.R. 3.03 Lakhs Junior Res. Fellow Indian M. avium strains using August 1, 2001 (Upto IIIrd IS1245 insertion sequence marker (Five years) year) Guide: Prof.Mridula Bose (Microbiology) 33. Ms Kavita Gulati Role of free radicals in theophyline C.S.I.R. 3.36 Lakhs Res. Associate induced seizures in experimental March, 2002 (IInd year) animals (Three years) Guide: Prof. A. Ray (Pharmacology)
34. Mr Vikram Role of apoptosis in the patho- I.C.M.R. 1.55 Lakhs Srivastava genesis of influenza A virus, September 11, 2003 (Ist year) Senior Res.Fellow correlation of virological and (Three years) immunological parameters: A Guide: Dr Madhu study in human and murine model Khanna (Respiratory Virology)
35. Dr Ashima Anand Studies on exertional breathless- I.C.M.R. 27.26 Lakhs (Principal Scientific ness (Under development of October 29, 2003 (Ist year) Officer) practical applications arising from (Three years) DST Centre for advances in visceral mechanisms Visceral i.e. J receptors, chemoreceptors, Mechanisms etc) 36. Prof. H.S. In vitro bio-interactions between I.C.M.R. 2.09 Lakhs Randhawa Candida species, Aspergillus January 31, 2003 (Ist year) (INSA Honorary fumigatus and some other human (Three years) Scientist) pathogenic fungi 37. Prof. H.S. Cryptococcus neoformans: A study I.N.S.A. 35,000 Randhawa of its natural habits, serotypes January 1, 2001 (per annum) (INSA Honorary and reappraisal of selective Scientist) isolation techniques
82 Orations/Guest Lectures
S. Faculty Member Title of Lecture Organiser(s) Conference, Place No. and Date
1. Dr V.K. Vijayan Severe acute respiratory Indian Medical South Campus, Delhi syndrome Association (South University Delhi Branch) and New Delhi W.U.S. Centre, May 6, 2003 Delhi University South Campus
2. Dr V.K. Vijayan Severe acute respiratory National Institute of Public Lecture 34: syndrome Science, Dimensions in Science Technology and India International Development Centre Studies New Delhi (CSIR) May 8, 2003
3. Dr V.K. Vijayan Eosinophilic pulmonary American Thoracic 99th International disorders in tropics Society Conference of American Thoracic Society Seattle, Washington (U.S.A.) May 19, 2003
4. Dr V.K. Vijayan Diagnosis and management Indira Gandhi Pulmonary Medicine of interstitial lung diseases Medical College Update Shimla June 7-8, 2003
5. Dr V.K. Vijayan Flow volume loops American College Chest Meet - 2003 of Chest Physicians Chennai (South India July 18-20, 2003 Chapter)
6. Dr V.K. Vijayan Respiratory viruses with National Institute of Symposium on special reference to influenza Communicable Communicable Diseases Diseases: Challenges and Responses on Completion of 40 years of National Institute of Communicable Diseases (NICD: 1963-2003) Delhi August 1-2, 2003
83 S. Faculty Member Title of Lecture Organiser(s) Conference, Place No. and Date 7. Dr V.K. Vijayan • Smoking cessation: Turkish Society for 17th Asia Pacific Eastern approach Respiratory Congress on Diseases Investigations and of the Chest • Health benefits of American College of Istanbul, Turkey smoking cessation Chest Physicians August 29 – (Turkish Chapter) September 2, 2003
8. Dr V.K. Vijayan Ways to quit smoking All India Heart World Heart Day Foundation and India International Cardiological Centre, New Delhi Society of India September 28, 2003 (Delhi Branch) 9. Dr V.K. Vijayan Chemical inhalation injuries American College of Chest – 2003 the following the Bhopal disaster Chest Physicians Annual Scientific (ACCP) Session of the ACCP Orlando, Florida, U.S.A. October 25-30, 2003 10. Dr V.K. Vijayan Recent advances in tropical National College of National Conference pulmonary medicine Chest Physicians on Pulmonary (Meet the Professor Session) (India) and Indian Diseases (NAPCON- Chest Society 2003) Coimbatore November 12-16, 2003
11. Dr V.K. Vijayan • Tuberculosis and HIV V.P.C.I. 36th Annual infection University of Delhi Conference of the and Indian Indian Pharmacological • Chemical inhalation Pharmacological Society injuries following the Society India Habitat Centre, Bhopal disaster New Delhi December 5-7, 2003 12. Dr V.K. Vijayan Eosinophilic lung diseases in Indian College of 37th National the tropics Allergy, Asthma and Convention of the Applied Immunology Indian College of Allergy, Asthma and Applied Immunology Bangalore December 12-14, 2003 13. Dr V.K. Vijayan Diagnostic approaches in V.P.C.I. First Congress of the sarcoidosis University of Delhi Indian Association of Sarcoidosis and Other Granulomatous Disorders Delhi January 12, 2004
84 S. Faculty Member Title of Lecture Organiser(s) Conference, Place No. and Date 14. Dr V.K. Vijayan Recent advances in the Institute of International management of asthma Biomedical Sciences Conference on Recent and Pt. Ram Narain Advances in Sharma Institute of Biochemical and Ayurveda, Alternate Therapeutic Sciences Medical Education & Jhansi Research, January 13-15, 2004 Bundelkhand University, Jhansi, in collaboration with Institute of Pharmacology, Erasmus MC University Medical Centre, the Netherlands
15. Dr V.K. Vijayan Diagnostic approaches in King George 9th National sarcoidosis with special Medical University Conference of the reference to bronchoscopic and Indian Indian Association for procedures Association for Bronchology Bronchology Lucknow February 27-29, 2004
16. Dr V.K. Vijayan Health benefits of smoking World Assembly on 3rd World Assembly on cessation Tobacco Counters Tobacco Counters Health Health New Delhi March 7-11, 2004
17. Prof. H.G. Raj Acetoxy drug - Protein Department of International Union of transacetylase: Physiological Chemistry, Pure and Applied functions and opportunities University of Delhi Chemistry Sponsored for the drug development and C.S.I.R Conference on “Biodiversity and Natural Products: Chemistry and Medical Application” Hotel Le Meridian, New Delhi January 26-31, 2004
18. Prof. M. Fahim Gen. Amir Chand Oration Mahatma Gandhi 42nd Annual Meeting of titled, “Autonomic control of Memorial Medical National Academy of the cardiovascular system” College Medical Sciences (India) Indore September 5-7, 2003
85 S. Faculty Member Title of Lecture Organiser(s) Conference, Place No. and Date 19. Prof. M. Fahim Prof. R.C. Shukla Oration Department of Prof. R.C. Shukla titled, “Neural regulation of Physiology, Oration and CME on cardiovascular systems” King George Cardiovascular System Medical University Regulatory Mechanism Update Lucknow September 13, 2003
20. Prof. M. Fahim Autonomic control of Defense Institute of Continuing Education cardiovascular system Physiology and Programme (CEP) Allied Sciences Advance Techniques in (DIPAS) Biomedical Research Delhi October 13-17, 2003
21. Prof. M. Fahim • Cardiovascular International Council ICSU-TWAS-UNESCO sensory receptors for Science (ICSU), Visiting Professorship • Physiology of pregnancy: The Third World Programme Cardiopulmonary and Academy of Science hormonal changes (TWAS) and United (Al Zaiem Al Azhari • Cardiac sensory Nations Educational, University receptors reflexes Scientific and Cultu- January 24, February • EEG in health and ral Organization 10,14, 19,2004) disease (Al Zaiem Al (UNESCO) Azhari University) (Khartoum University February 9, 18, 2004)
• Autonomic control of (Sudan University of cardiovascular Sciences and functions Technology, Khartoum • Cardiovascular effects February 11, 18, 2004) of carboxylic ionophores (Khartoum (National Ribat University) University February 17, 2004)
• Medical instrumentation (University of Juba, • Bioelectric phenomena in Omdurman living system (Sudan February 19, 2004) University of Sciences and Technology, (Al Ahfad University for Khartoum) Women’s, Omdurman February 22, 2004)
• Sensory visceral (International African receptors (National University Ribat University) February 22, 2004)
86 S. Faculty Member Title of Lecture Organiser(s) Conference, Place No. and Date • Neural control of cardiovascular system (University of Juba, Omdurman)
• Haemodynamic effects of certain cardiotonic agents (Al Ahfad University for Women’s, Omdurman) • Regulation of blood pressure and blood volume (International African University) 22. Prof. S.S. Thukral Molecular characterization of Indian Association of VI th Annual Mycoplasma pneumoniae Mycoplasmologists Conference of the Indian Association of Mycoplasmologists New Delhi April 26, 2003
23. Prof. A. Ray Nitric oxide: In health and Nirma Institute of Nirma Institute of disease Pharmaceutical Pharmaceutical Sciences Sciences Nirma University Ahmedabad June 15, 2003 24. Prof. A. Ray Nitric oxide: A target molecule J.S.S. College of J.S.S. College of for drug development Pharmacy Pharmacy Ooty, Tamil Nadu August 5, 2003 25. Prof. Mridula Bose Molecular profile of Dr B.R. Ambedkar IVth Annual Mycobacterium avium Centre for Symposium on intracellulare Complex of Biomedical Research, Frontiers in Biomedical Indian human isolates University of Delhi Research Delhi April 13-15, 2003
26. Prof. Mridula Bose Pathogenicity and virulence Dr B.R. Ambedkar Dr B.R. Ambedkar of M. tuberculosis : Role Centre for Centre for Biomedical of genomics Biomedical Research Research, Delhi University of Delhi June 7, 2003 27. Prof. Ashok Shah Anaerobic lung infections American College of Chest Meet - 2003 Chest Physicians Chennai (South India July 18-20, 2003 Chapter)
87 S. Faculty Member Title of Lecture Organiser(s) Conference, Place No. and Date 28. Prof. Ashok Shah • A half a century University of University of of allergic bronchopul- Mississippi Medical Mississippi Medical monary aspergillosis Centre Centre, Jackson, Mississippi, U.S. A. • Asthma caused by September 16-17, human seminal 2003 plasma allergy
29. Prof. Ashok Shah Sarcoidosis in India Yugoslav 4th Annual Association of Meeting of the Sarcoidosis Association of Sarcoidosis of Serbia and Montenegro Beograd, Serbia October 16, 2003 30. Prof. Ashok Shah • Asthma and rhinitis National College of National Conference Chest Physicians on Pulmonary • Aspergillosis and asthma (India) and Indian Diseases (NAPCON- Chest Society 2003) Coimbatore November 12-16, 2003 31. Prof. Ashok Shah Allergic bronchopulmonary Indian College of 37th National and sinus aspergillosis Allergy, Asthma and Convention of the Applied Immunology Indian College of Allergy, Asthma and Applied Immunology Bangalore December 12-14, 2003
32. Prof. Ashok Shah Vikas Arya Memorial Oration Indian Medical Vikas Arya Memorial titled,”Wheeze and sneeze” Association Oration (Meerut Branch) Meerut December 19, 2003 33. Prof. Ashok Shah Ethnic and geographical V.P.C.I. First Congress of the differences in the University of Delhi Indian Association of presentation of sarcoidosis Sarcoidosis and Other Granulomatous Disorders Delhi January 12, 2004 34. Prof. Ashok Shah Future developments in Department of Chest An Update on Recent COPD Diseases and Advances in COPD Tuberculosis, S.M.S. Jaipur Medical College, March 14, 2004 and NAPCON-2002 Trust
88 S. Faculty Member Title of Lecture Organiser(s) Conference, Place No. and Date 35. Prof. S.K. Chhabra Rational use of antibiotics in V.P.C.I. 36 th Annual hospital-aquired pneumonia University of Delhi Conference of the and Indian Indian Pharmacological Pharmacological Society Society India Habitat Centre, New Delhi December 5-7, 2003
36. Prof. K.Ravi Vagal sensory mechanism Defence Institute of Defence Institute of and pulmonary edema Physiology and Physiology and Allied Allied Sciences, Sciences, (DIPAS) (DIPAS) Delhi March 10, 2004
37. Prof. S.K. Bansal Cytokines and cytokine Central JALMA Third Convention of signaling: An overview Institute for Leprosy Society of Immunology and Society of and Immunopathology, Immunology and and National Immunopathology Symposium on Cytokines and Transduction Agra February 13-15, 2004
38. Dr Madhu Khanna Immune response and clonal Department of Indian Agriculture selection Microbiology, Research Institute Indian Agriculture New Delhi Research Institute September 17-19, 2003
39. Dr Balakrishnan Implementation of DOTS B.J.R.M. Hospital World TB Day Menon Delhi March 24, 2004
40. Prof. A.S. Paintal Society for scientific values Iranian Congress of 16th Iranian Congress Physiology and of Physiology and Pharmacology Pharmacology Tehran, Iran May 9-12, 2003
41. Dr A. Anand Aortic chemoreceptor Iranian Congress of 16th Iranian Congress responses in the combined Physiology and of Physiology and presence of hypoxia and Pharmacology Pharmacology nicotine Tehran, Iran May 9-12, 2003 42. Dr A. Anand Mechanisms underlying Department of University of Science movement of drugs across Physiology Bangkok, Thailand pulmonary capillaries November 2, 2003
89 S. Faculty Member Title of Lecture Organiser(s) Conference, Place No. and Date 43. Dr A. Anand Plasticity of the Al-Ameen Medical XV Annual Conference responsiveness of sensory College of the Physiological receptors Society of India Bijapur December 4-6, 2003
th 44. Prof. H.S. Randhawa Ecology of Cryptococcus Society for Indian 5 National Conference neoformans Human and Animal of the Society for Indian Mycologists and Human and Animal Post Graduate Mycologists Institute of Medical Chandigarh Education and March 11-14, 2004 Research
90 Conferences/Symposia/Seminars/Workshops/CMEs
S. Participant Role/Topic Organiser(s) Name, Venue and No. Date
1. Dr V.K. Vijayan Lectures on: V.P.C.I. 3rd CME Course in • Severe acute University of Delhi Respiratory Diseases respiratory Delhi syndrome May 3-4, 2003 • Bed side interpre- tation of arterial blood gases
2. Dr V.K. Vijayan Pulmonary function tests V.P.C.I. 30th Workshop on University of Delhi Respiratory Allergy: and, Institute of Diagnosis and Genomics and Management Integrative Biology Delhi June 4-10, 2003
3. Dr V.K. Vijayan Chaired a scientific Indira Gandhi Medical Pulmonary Medicine session on COPD College Update Shimla June 7, 2003
4. Dr V.K. Vijayan Chairperson of a Turkish Society for 17th Asia Pacific scientific session on Respiratory Congress on Diseases Smoking - advances in Investigations and of the Chest cessation American College of Istanbul, Turkey Chest Physicians August 29 – September (Turkish Chapter) 2, 2003
5. Dr V.K. Vijayan Moderator of a session Postgraduate Institute 18th Annual Meeting on on Case presentation of Medical Education Pulmonary and Critical and Research Care Chandigarh October 12, 2003
6. Dr V.K. Vijayan Tuberculosis and HIV National Institute of WHO Sponsored infection Communicable Hands on Training Diseases Workshop on “Diagnosis and Control of Oppurtunistic Infec- tions in AIDS and other Immunocompromised Patients” Delhi October 13, 2003
91 S. Participant Role/Topic Organiser(s) Name, Venue and No. Date 7. Dr V.K. Vijayan Pulmonary function tests Shri Ramachandra National Technical Medical College and Training Workshop on Research Institute Diagnosis, (Deemed University) Management and Medical Surveillance of Pneumoconiosis and other Related Lung Diseases Chennai October 14, 2003
8. Dr V.K. Vijayan • Participated in the American College of Chest – 2003 the Council of Chest Physicians Annual Scientific International (ACCP) Session of the ACCP Regents and Orlando, Florida, U.S.A. Governors Meeting October 25-30, 2003 as an International Regent for India • Participated in a panel discussion on Medical problems following disasters: The evolving aftermath
9. Dr V.K. Vijayan • Chairperson of the National College of National Conference on workshop on Chest Physicians Pulmonary Diseases Pulmonary function (India) and Indian (NAPCON-2003) tests and exercise Chest Society Coimbatore physiology November 12-16, 2003 • Chairperson of the scientific session on Clinical pearls for the chest physicians
10. Dr V.K. Vijayan Lecture on: Delhi Society for CME in Rational Use of Management of Promotion of Rational Drugs tuberculosis and Use of Drugs and New Delhi multidrug resistant WHO India EDP at November 21,2003 tuberculosis at Maulana Azad secondary care hospitals Medical College
11. Dr V.K. Vijayan Chairperson of a V.P.C.I. 36th Annual Conference scientific session on University of Delhi of the Indian Pharma- Rational drug therapy and Indian cological Society in TB Pharmacological India Habitat Centre, Society New Delhi December 5-7, 2003
92 S. Participant Role/Topic Organiser(s) Name, Venue and No. Date 12. Dr V.K. Vijayan • Chaired a scientific V.P.C.I. Workshop cum Training session on University of Delhi Programme on New Nanotechnology and Department of Perspectives in Drug Science and Discovery and • Demonstration of Technology, Govt. of Development Bronchoalveolar India Delhi lavage December 8-9, 2003
13. Dr V.K. Vijayan Chaired a scientific Institute of Biomedical International session on Recent Sciences and Pt. Ram Conference on Recent advances in therapy Narain Sharma Institute Advances in of asthma of Ayurveda, Alternate Biochemical and Medical Education & Therapeutic Sciences Research, Bundelkhand Jhansi University, Jhansi, in January 13-15, 2004 collaboration with Insti- tute of Pharmacology, Erasmus MC University Medical Centre, the Netherlands
14. Dr V.K. Vijayan Chaired a scientific Department of Medicine Update session on Tuberculosis Medicine, A.I.I.M.S. New Delhi February 1, 2004
15. Dr V.K. Vijayan Chaired a scientific King George Medical 9th National Conference session on University and Indian of the Indian Associa- Bronchoscopy Association for tion for Bronchology Bronchology Lucknow February 27-29, 2004
16. Dr V.K. Vijayan Chaired a scientific World Assembly on 3rd World Assembly on session on Smoking Tobacco Counters Tobacco Counters cessations Health Health New Delhi March 7-11, 2004
17. Prof. H.G. Raj Presented a paper on University of Bioresources Towards Novel natural products: Mauritius in Drug Discovery and Studies leading to collaboration with Development discovery of a new University of Delhi Reduit, Mauritius biochemical pathway February 3-4, 2004
18. Prof. M. Fahim Presented a paper on Manipal Academy of International Mechanism of certain Higher Education and Symposium on Genetic inherited cardiovascular Alexander von and Human Health disorders Humboldt Foundation Manipal (Germany) October 29-31, 2003
93 S. Participant Role/Topic Organiser(s) Name, Venue and No. Date 19. Prof. M. Fahim Presented a paper on Al-Ameen Medical XV Annual Conference Autonomic control of College of the Physiological cardiovascular system Society of India Bijapur December 4-6, 2003 20. Prof. M. Fahim Presented a paper on D.S.T. and Jamia National Workshop on Cardioprotective role of Hamdard Institute-Industry ‘Lipotab’ in animal model Interaction on Research of atherosclerosis in Unani Medicine to Identify Areas of Collaboration New Delhi January 7-9, 2004
th 21. Prof. M.K. Agarwal • Basic immune V.P.C.I. 30 Workshop on response with University of Delhi Respiratory Allergy: special reference to and, Institute of Diagnosis and Type I and Type III Genomics and Management hypersensitivity Integrative Biology Delhi disorders June 4-10, 2003 • Allergy to common Indian insects • An overview of various techniques of performance and grading of skin tests. Followed by demonstration of intradermal and skin prick tests 22. Prof. S.N. Gaur Chairperson of a V.P.C.I. 3rd CME Course in scientific session on University of Delhi Respiratory Diseases Asthma, MDR-TB and Delhi hemoptysis May 3-4, 2003 23. Prof. S.N. Gaur • Chairperson of a scientific National College of National Conference on session on Asthma Chest Physicians Pulmonary Diseases (India) and Indian (NAPCON-2003) • Chairperson of the Chest Society Coimbatore Award session November 12-16, 2003 • Chairperson of the Clinical case presentation • Chairperson of the satellite symposium on Bronchial asthma and COPD
94 S. Participant Role/Topic Organiser(s) Name, Venue and No. Date 24. Prof. S.N. Gaur Chairperson of a V.P.C.I. 36th Annual Conference scientific session on University of Delhi of the Indian Pharma- Diabetes and Indian cological Society Pharmacological India Habitat Centre, Society New Delhi December 5-7, 2003 25. Prof. S.N. Gaur Chairperson of a Indian College of 37th National Conventi- scientific session Allergy, Asthma and on of the Indian College on Asthma Applied Immunology of Allergy, Asthma and Applied Immunology Bangalore December 12-14, 2003 26. Prof. S.N. Gaur Chairperson of a V.P.C.I. First Congress of the scientific session on University of Delhi Indian Association of Sarcoidosis Sarcoidosis and Other Granulomatous Disorders Delhi January 12, 2004 27. Prof. S.N. Gaur Chairperson of a Department of Medicine Update scientific session on Medicine, A.I.I.M.S. New Delhi Choices of antibiotics for February 1, 2004 infection in the I.C.U. 28. Prof. S.N. Gaur Chairperson of a King George Medical 9th National Conference scientific session on University and Indian of the Indian Asthma Association for Association for Bronchology Bronchology Lucknow February 27-29, 2004 29. Prof. S.S. Thukral Presented a paper on Indian Association of 27th National Comparative evaluation Medical Conference of Indian of ribotyping and SDS- Microbiologists Association of Medical PAGE whole cell protein Microbiologists profiling analysis for Mumbai typing clinical isolates November 6-9, 2003 of C. diphtheriae 30. Prof. Ashok Shah Chaired a session on V.P.C.I. National Symposium on Diagnosis of tuberculosis University of Delhi Global Challenges in TB: An Update on the occasion of the 54th Foundation Day Celebrations of the V.P.C.I. Delhi April 6, 2003
95 S. Participant Role/Topic Organiser(s) Name, Venue and No. Date 31. Prof. Ashok Shah Lectures on: V.P.C.I. 3rd CME Course in • Diagnosis and University of Delhi Respiratory Diseases management of Delhi COPD May 3-4, 2003 • Rhinitis Chaired a session on ‘SARS’ and ‘Pulmonary rehabilitation’ 32. Prof. Ashok Shah Lectures on: V.P.C.I. 30th Workshop on • Allergic rhinitis: University of Delhi Respiratory Allergy: Diagnosis and and, Institute of Diagnosis and management Genomics and Management Integrative Biology Delhi • Self-management June 4-10, 2003 and patient education in bronchial asthma • Allergic broncho- pulmonary aspergillosis 33. Prof. Ashok Shah • Chaired a session International World Allergy on Occupational Congress of Organization Congress asthma Allergology and – XVIII International Clinical Immunology Congress of Allergology • Oral presentation and Clinical on Assessment of Immunology sensory perceptions Vancouver, Canada and preference to September 7-12, 2003 intranasal corticosteroid sprays in patients with allergic rhinitis in Delhi Poster presentations on • Allergic broncho- pulmonary aspergillosis: A review from India • Allergic rhinitis in Delhi: A compa- rative profile of ‘sneezers and runners’ and ‘blockers’
96 S. Participant Role/Topic Organiser(s) Name, Venue and No. Date 34. Prof. Ashok Shah Lecture on: Indian Academy of CME on Respiratory Sneeze and wheeze Pediatrics Allergy (Himachal Pradesh Dharamsala Branch) November 1, 2003
35. Prof. Ashok Shah • Participated in a V.P.C.I. 36th Annual Conference panel discussion on University of Delhi of the Indian Publication ethics and Indian Pharmacological Pharmacological Society • Chaired a session Society India Habitat Centre, on Rational drug New Delhi therapy in December 5-7, 2003 tuberculosis
36. Prof. Ashok Shah Chaired Scientific Indian College of 37th National Session III Allergy, Asthma and Convention of the • Immunotherapy in Applied Immunology Indian College of allergic diseases Allergy, Asthma and • Genetic, Applied Immunology environment and Bangalore cancer December 12-14, 2003
37. Prof. Ashok Shah Chaired a session on Department of Medicine Update Asthma and allergic Medicine, A.I.I.M.S. New Delhi rhinitis: Two sides of February 1, 2004 the same coin
38. Prof. S.K. Chhabra Lectures on: V.P.C.I. 3rd CME Course in • Oxygen therapy University of Delhi Respiratory Diseases • Pulmonary Delhi function tests May 3-4, 2003
th 39. Prof. S.K. Chhabra Lectures on: V.P.C.I. 30 Workshop on • Epidemiology and University of Delhi Respiratory Allergy: pharmacological and, Institute of Diagnosis and treatment of Genomics and Management bronchial asthma Integrative Biology Delhi June 4-10, 2003 • Pulmonary function testing (Lecture-cum- demonstration)
• Management of asthma in special situations
97 S. Participant Role/Topic Organiser(s) Name, Venue and No. Date 40. Prof. S.K. Chhabra Chaired a scientific V.P.C.I. 36th Annual Conference session on Clinical University of Delhi of the Indian pharmacology and Indian Pharmacological Pharmacological Society Society India Habitat Centre, New Delhi December 5-7, 2003
41. Prof. S.K. Bansal Chaired a scientific V.P.C.I. 3rd CME Course in session on childhood University of Delhi Respiratory Diseases asthma and smoking Delhi cessation May 3-4, 2003
42. Prof. S.K. Bansal Chaired a scientific Central JALMA Third Convention of session on Cytokines Institute for Leprosy Society of Immunology and signal transduction and Society of and Immunopathology, Immunology and and National Immunopathology Symposium on Cytokines and Signal Transduction Agra February 13-15, 2004
th 43. Prof. H.C. Gugnani Chaired a scientific Indian Association of 27 National session on Clinical Medical Conference of Indian trials: Ethical and Microbiologists Association of Medical laboratory issues Microbiologists Mumbai Presented papers on November 6-9, 2003 • Prevalence of Penicillium marneffei in bamboo rats in India
• Onychomycosis due to Emericella quadrilinneata
th 44. Prof. H.C. Gugnani • Presented a Society for Indian 5 National Conference paper on Human and Animal of the Society for Indian Emerging Mycologists and Human and Animal dimorphic fungi Post Graduate Mycologists Institute of Medical Chandigarh • Chaired a Education and March 11-14, 2004 scientific session Research on Immunology of mycoses
98 S. Participant Role/Topic Organiser(s) Name, Venue and No. Date 45. Dr Raj Kumar Lecture on: V.P.C.I. 3rd CME Course in Inhalation therapy in University of Delhi Respiratory Diseases bronchial asthma Delhi May 3-4, 2003
46. Dr Raj Kumar Lecture on: V.P.C.I. 30th Workshop on Food allergy including University of Delhi Respiratory Allergy: G.M. food and, Institute of Diagnosis and Genomics and Management Integrative Biology Delhi June 4-10, 2003 47. Dr Raj Kumar Presented a paper on European Academy of XXII Congress of Other radiological Allergology and European Academy of features in allergic Clinical Immunology Allergology and Clinical bronchopulmonary Immunology aspergillosis and its Paris, France serological and clinical June 7-11, 2003 evaluation 48. Dr Raj Kumar Presented a paper on National College of National Conference on Assessment of sustained Chest Physicians Pulmonary Diseases release Bupropion and (India) and Indian (NAPCON-2003) intensive physician advice Chest Society Coimbatore in smoking cessation November 12-16, 2003
49. Dr Raj Kumar Chaired a scientific V.P.C.I. First Congress of the session on Role of University of Delhi Indian Association of chloroquine in Sarcoidosis and Other management of Granulomatous sarcoidosis Disorders Delhi January 12, 2004 50. Dr Raj Kumar Presented a paper on American Academy of 4th World Asthma Airway obstruction in Allergy, Asthma and Meeting rhinitis Immunology, Bangkok, Thailand American College of February 16-19, 2004 Chest Physicians, American Thoracic Society Asian Pacific Society of Respirology European Respiratory Society, Global Initiative for Asthma, and International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease
99 S. Participant Role/Topic Organiser(s) Name, Venue and No. Date 51. Dr Raj Kumar Presented a paper on World Assembly on 3rd World Assembly on Breath carbon monoxide Tobacco Counters Tobacco Counters concentration in cigarette Health Health and bidi smokers New Delhi March 7-11, 2004
52. Dr Mandira Varma CME Lecture on: Indian Association VI th Conference of the Emerging trends in of Mycoplasmologists Indian Association of mycoplasma Mycoplasmologists presentation: Role of New Delhi Mycoplasma April 26, 2003 Pneumoniae in acute exacerbation of COPD
53. Dr Mandira Varma Presented a paper on Indian Association of 27th National Rapid real-time detection Medical Conference of Indian of rifampicin resistance Microbiologists Association of Medical in M. tuberculosis Microbiologists isolates from Delhi Mumbai November 6-9, 2003
54. Dr Mandira Varma Lecture on: Central JALMA ICMR-INSERM Rapid detection of Institute for Leprosy Workshop on rifampicin resistance in Tuberculosis M. tuberculosis isolates Agra December 12-14, 2003
55. Dr Balakrishnan Lecture on: V.P.C.I. 3rd CME Course in Menon Pulmonary radiology University of Delhi Respiratory Diseases Delhi May 3-4, 2003
56. Dr Balakrishnan Lecture on: V.P.C.I. 30th Workshop on Menon Radiology of interstitial University of Delhi Respiratory Allergy: and immunological and, Institute of Diagnosis and diseases Genomics and Management Integrative Biology Delhi June 4-10, 2003
57. Dr Rajinder Bajaj Participated in a Ranbaxy Science 13th Round Table discussion on Ethics in Foundation, Conference on Ethics in animal experimentation Gurgaon Animal Experimentation India Habitat Centre, New Delhi January 10, 2004
100 S. Participant Role/Topic Organiser(s) Name, Venue and No. Date 58. Prof. A.S. Paintal Chairperson of a All India Institute of Baldev Singh Workshop scientific session on Medical Sciences on Non-invasive Development of medical Measurement of technology Peripheral Blood Flow and Cardic Output ‘An AIIMS-BARC Initiative’ New Delhi April 15-17, 2003 59. Dr A. Anand Panel discussion on All India Institute of Baldev Singh Developing our own Medical Sciences Workshop on Non- electrodiagnostic invasive Measurement technologies of Peripheral Blood Flow and Cardic Output ‘An AIIMS-BARC Initiative’ New Delhi April 15-17, 2003
60. Prof. H.S. Chaired the session of Society for Indian 5th National Conference Randhawa Dr M.J. Thirumalachar Human and Animal of the Society for Indian memorial lecture Mycologists and Post Human and Animal Graduate Institute of Mycologists Medical Education Chandigarh and Research March 11-14, 2004
61. Dr N.K. Dogra Presented a poster on National Public Health 12th World Congress on (MD Student) Passive smoking and Institute and Cancer Tobacco or Health respiratory systems in Society of Finland Helsinki, Finland
Guides: Prof. K. Ravi children August 3-8, 2003 and Dr V. K. Vijayan
62. Dr Amit Dhamija Presented a paper on National College of National Conference on (MD Student) Non-invasive ventilation Chest Physicians Pulmonary Diseases in mild to moderate (India) (NAPCON-2003) Guide: Dr V. K. cases of respiratory and Indian Chest Coimbatore Vijayan failure due to acute Society November 12-16, 2003 exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
63. Mrs Sujata Presented a poster on V.P.C.I. 36th Annual Conference Upadhyay Effect of in vivo University of Delhi of the Indian (PhD Student) generation of reactive and Indian Pharmacological oxygen species on Pharmacological Society Guides: Prof. K. airway reactivity and Society India Habitat Centre, Ravi and Prof. S.K. oxidant-antioxidant New Delhi Chhabra balance in guinea pigs December 5-7, 2003
101 S. Participant Role/Topic Organiser(s) Name, Venue and No. Date 64. Mrs Sujata Impairment of beta – Guwahati Medical APPICON-2003, Upadhyay adrenergic responses by College and Annual Conference of (PhD Student) in vivo generation of The Association of the Association of reactive oxygen species Physiologists and Physiologists and Guides: Prof. K. Pharmacologists of Pharmacologists of Ravi and Prof. S.K. India India Chhabra Guwahati December 18-20, 2003
65. Mr Ahmad Presented a paper on American Academy of 4th World Asthma Nadeem Increased oxidative Allergy, Asthma and Meeting (PhD Student) stress and altered levels Immunology, Bangkok, Thailand of antioxidants in acute American College of February 16-19, 2004 Guides: Prof. H.G. exacerbations of asthma Chest Physicians, Raj and Prof. S.K. American Thoracic Chhabra Society, Asian Pacific Society of Respirology, European Respiratory Society, Global Initiative for Astma, and International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease
66. Dr Shweta Presented a paper on Indian Immunology 30th Annual Conference Rawall Induction of programmed Society of Indian Immunology cell death (apoptosis) by Society Guides: Dr Madhu influenza A virus Lucknow Khanna and Dr V.K. infection in HeLa cells November 23-25, 2003 Vijayan
67. Ms Prakriti Presented papers on Srivastava • Allergy to rice in (Junior Res. Indian population Fellow) • Banana Indian College of 37th National Guide: Dr Raj sensitization in Allergy, Asthma and Convention of the Kumar patients of Applied Immunology Indian College of respiratory illness Allergy, Asthma and including bronchial Applied Immunology asthma Bangalore December 12-14, 2003
102 Participation in Organising of Conferences/Symposia/ Seminars/Workshops/CMEs
S. Faculty Member Associated As Organiser(s) Conference, Place and No. Date 1. Dr V.K. Vijayan Organising Chairman V.P.C.I. National Symposium on University of Delhi Global Challenges in TB: An Update on the occa- sion of the 54th Foundation Day Celebrations of the V.P.C.I. Delhi April 6, 2003 2. Dr V.K. Vijayan Member, Dr B.R. Ambedkar IVth Annual Symposium Advisory Committee Centre for Biomedical on Frontiers in Research, University Biomedical Research of Delhi Delhi April 13-15, 2003
3. Dr V.K. Vijayan Organising Chairman V.P.C.I. 3rd CME Course in University of Delhi Respiratory Diseases Delhi May 3-4, 2003 4. Dr V.K. Vijayan Member, American College of Chest Meet - 2003 ACCP Committee Chest Physicians Chennai (South India Chapter) July 18-20, 2003 5. Dr V.K. Vijayan Member, International Turkish Society for 17th Asia Pacific Congress Advisory Board Respiratory on Diseases of the Chest Investigations and Istanbul, Turkey American College of August 29 – September 2, Chest Physicians 2003 (Turkish Chapter)
6. Dr V.K. Vijayan Organising Chairman V.P.C.I. 36th Annual Conference University of Delhi of the Indian and Indian Pharmacological Society Pharmacological India Habitat Centre, Society New Delhi December 5-7, 2003 7. Dr V.K. Vijayan Organising Chairman V.P.C.I. Workshop cum Training University of Delhi Programme on New and Department of Perspectives in Drug Science and Discovery and Technology, Govt. of Development India Delhi December 8-9, 2003
103 S. Faculty Member Associated As Organiser(s) Conference, Place and No. Date 8. Dr V.K. Vijayan Organising Chairman V.P.C.I. First Congress of the University of Delhi Indian Association of Sarcoidosis and Other Granulomatous Disorders Delhi January 12, 2004
9. Dr V.K. Vijayan Member, King George Medical 9th National Conference of National Advisory University and Indian the Indian Association for Committee Association for Bronchology Bronchology Lucknow February 27-29, 2004 10. Prof. H.G. Raj Member, Department of International Union of Pure Organising Committee Chemistry, University and Applied Chemistry of Delhi and C.S.I.R Sponsored Conference on “Biodiversity and Natural Products: Chemistry and Medical Application Hotel Le Meridian, New Delhi January 26-31, 2004 11. Prof. S.N. Gaur Member, V.P.C.I. National Symposium on Organising University of Delhi Global Challenges in TB: Committee An Update on the occasion of the 54th Foundation Day Celebrations of the V.P.C.I. Delhi April 6, 2003
12. Prof. S.N. Gaur • National Advisor National College of National Conference on Chest Physicians Pulmonary Diseases • Member, (India) and Indian (NAPCON-2003) Organising Chest Society Coimbatore Committee November 12-16, 2003 13. Prof. S.N. Gaur Member, Organising V.P.C.I. 36th Annual Conference Committee University of Delhi of the Indian and Indian Pharmacological Society Pharmacological India Habitat Centre, Society New Delhi December 5-7, 2003 14. Prof. S.N. Gaur Member, Organising Indian College of 37th National Convention Committee Allergy, Asthma and of the Indian College of Applied Immunology Allergy, Asthma and Applied Immunology Bangalore December 12-14, 2003
104 S. Faculty Member Associated As Organiser(s) Conference, Place and No. Date 15. Prof. S.N. Gaur Member, Organising V.P.C.I. First Congress of the Indian Committee University of Delhi Association of Sarcoidosis and Other Granulomatous Disorders Delhi January 12, 2004
16. Prof. A. Ray Organising Secretary V.P.C.I. 36th Annual Conference of University of Delhi the Indian Pharmacological and Indian Society Pharmacological India Habitat Centre, Society New Delhi December 5-7, 2003 17. Prof. A. Ray Organising Secretary V.P.C.I. Workshop cum Training University of Delhi Programme on New and Department of Perspectives in Drug Science and Discovery and Technology, Govt. Development of India Delhi December 8-9, 2003 18. Prof. Mridula Bose Organising Secretary V.P.C.I. National Symposium on University of Delhi Global Challenges in TB: An Update on the occasion the 54th Foundation Day Celebrations of the V.P.C.I. Delhi April 6, 2003
19. Prof. Ashok Shah Member, Organising V.P.C.I. National Symposium on Committee University of Delhi Global Challenges in TB: An Update on the occasion of the 54th Foundation Day Celebrations of the V.P.C.I. Delhi April 6, 2003 20. Prof. Ashok Shah Member, Organising V.P.C.I. 3rd CME Course in Committee University of Delhi Respiratory Diseases Delhi May 3-4, 2003
21. Prof. Ashok Shah Member, Scientific V.P.C.I. 30th Workshop on Committee University of Delhi Respiratory Allergy: and, Institute of Diagnosis and Genomics and Management Integrative Biology Delhi June 4-10, 2003
105 S. Faculty Member Associated As Organiser(s) Conference, Place and No. Date 22. Prof. Ashok Shah Member, Organising V.P.C.I. 36th Annual Conference of Committee University of Delhi and the Indian Pharmacological Indian Society Pharmacological India Habitat Centre, Society New Delhi December 5-7, 2003
23. Prof. Ashok Shah Organising Secretary V.P.C.I. First Congress of the Indian University of Delhi Association of Sarcoidosis and Other Granulomatous Disorders Delhi January 12, 2004
24. Prof. S.K. Chhabra Member, Organising V.P.C.I. National Symposium on Committee University of Delhi Global Challenges in TB: An Update on the occasion of the 54th Foundation Day Celebrations of the V.P.C.I. Delhi April 6, 2003
25. Prof. S.K. Chhabra Member, Organising V.P.C.I. 3rd CME Course in Committee University of Delhi Respiratory Diseases Delhi May 3-4, 2003
26. Prof. S.K. Chhabra Member, Organising V.P.C.I. 36th Annual Conference of Committee University of Delhi the Indian Pharmacological and Indian Society Pharmacological India Habitat Centre, Society New Delhi December 5-7, 2003
27. Prof. S.K. Chhabra Member, Organising V.P.C.I. First Congress of the Indian Committee University of Delhi Association of Sarcoidosis and Other Granulomatous Disorders Delhi January 12, 2004
28. Prof. K. Ravi Treasurer V.P.C.I. National Symposium on University of Delhi Global Challenges in TB: An Update on the occasion of the 54th Foundation Day Celebrations of the V.P.C.I. Delhi April 6, 2003
106 S. Faculty Member Associated As Organiser(s) Conference, Place and No. Date 29. Prof. K. Ravi Member, Organising V.P.C.I. 3rd CME Course in Committee University of Delhi Respiratory Diseases Delhi May 3-4, 2003
30. Prof. K. Ravi Treasurer V.P.C.I. 36th Annual Conference of University of Delhi the Indian Pharmacological and Indian Society Pharmacological India Habitat Centre, Society New Delhi December 5-7, 2003
31. Prof. K. Ravi Treasurer V.P.C.I. Workshop cum Training University of Delhi and Programme on New Department of Science Perspectives in Drug and Technology, Govt. Discovery and of India Development Delhi December 8-9, 2003
32. Prof. K. Ravi Treasurer V.P.C.I. First Congress of the Indian University of Delhi Association of Sarcoidosis and Other Granulomatous Disorders Delhi January 12, 2004
33. Prof. S.K. Bansal Member, Organising V.P.C.I. National Symposium on Committee University of Delhi Global Challenges in TB: An Update on the occasion of the 54th Foundation Day Celebrations of the V.P.C.I. Delhi April 6, 2003
34. Prof. S.K. Bansal Member, Organising V.P.C.I. 3rd CME Course in Committee University of Delhi Respiratory Diseases Delhi May 3-4, 2003
35. Prof. S.K. Bansal Member, Organising V.P.C.I. 36 th Annual Conference of Committee University of Delhi the Indian Pharmacological and Indian Society Pharmacological India Habitat Centre, Society New Delhi December 5-7, 2003
107 S. Faculty Member Associated As Organiser(s) Conference, Place and No. Date
36. Prof. S.K. Bansal Member, Organising V.P.C.I. First Congress of the Indian Committee University of Delhi Association of Sarcoidosis and Other Granulomatous Disorders Delhi January 12, 2004
37. Prof. H.C. Gugnani Member, Organising V.P.C.I. National Symposium on Committee University of Delhi Global Challenges in TB: An Update on the occasion of the 54th Foundation Day Celebrations of the V.P.C.I. Delhi April 6, 2003
38. Prof. H.C. Gugnani Member, Organising V.P.C.I. 3rd CME Course in Committee University of Delhi Respiratory Diseases Delhi May 3-4, 2003
th 39. Prof. H.C. Gugnani Member, Organising V.P.C.I. 36 Annual Conference of Committee University of Delhi the Indian Pharmacological and Indian Society Pharmacological India Habitat Centre, Society New Delhi December 5-7, 2003
40. Prof. H.C. Gugnani Member, Organising V.P.C.I. First Congress of the Indian Committee University of Delhi Association of Sarcoidosis and Other Granulomatous Disorders Delhi January 12, 2004
41. Dr Raj Kumar Member, Organising V.P.C.I. National Symposium on Committee University of Delhi Global Challenges in TB: An Update on the occasion of the 54th Foundation Day Celebrations of the V.P.C.I. Delhi April 6, 2003
42. Dr Raj Kumar Organising Secretary V.P.C.I. 3rd CME Course in University of Delhi Respiratory Diseases Delhi May 3-4, 2003
108 S. Faculty Member Associated As Organiser(s) Conference, Place and No. Date 43. Dr Raj Kumar Member, Organising National College of National Conference on Committee Chest Physicians Pulmonary Diseases (India) and Indian (NAPCON-2003) Chest Society Coimbatore November 12-16, 2003
44. Dr Madhu Khanna Member, Organising V.P.C.I. National Symposium on Committee University of Delhi Global Challenges in TB: An Update on the occasion of the 54th Foundation Day Celebrations of the V.P.C.I. Delhi April 6, 2003 45. Dr Madhu Khanna Member, Organising V.P.C.I. Pre-Conference Workshop Committee University of Delhi of 36th Annual Conference and Indian of Indian Pharmacological Pharmacological Society on ‘Pharmacology Society Today Progressing Academia-Industry Interactions’ Delhi December 4, 2003 46. Dr Madhu Khanna Member, Organising V.P.C.I. 36th Annual Conference of Committee University of Delhi the Indian Pharmacological and Indian Society Pharmacological India Habitat Centre, Society New Delhi December 5-7, 2003
47. Dr Madhu Khanna Member, Organising V.P.C.I. First Congress of the Committee University of Delhi Indian Association of Sarcoidosis and Other Granulomatous Disorders Delhi January 12, 2004
48. Dr Vishwajeet Rohil Member, Organising V.P.C.I. National Symposium on Committee University of Delhi Global Challenges in TB: An Update on the occasion of the 54th Foundation Day Celebrations of the V.P.C.I. Delhi April 6, 2003
rd 49. Dr Vishwajeet Rohil Member, Organising V.P.C.I. 3 CME Course in Committee University of Delhi Respiratory Diseases Delhi May 3-4, 2003
109 S. Faculty Member Associated As Organiser(s) Conference, Place and No. Date
50. Dr Vishwajeet Rohil Member, Organising V.P.C.I. 36th Annual Conference of Committee University of Delhi the Indian Pharmacological and Indian Society Pharmacological India Habitat Centre, Society New Delhi December 5-7, 2003
51. Dr Vishwajeet Rohil Member, Organising V.P.C.I. First Congress of the Committee University of Delhi Indian Association of Sarcoidosis and Other Granulomatous Disorders Delhi January 12, 2004 52. Dr Vishal Bansal Member, Organising V.P.C.I. National Symposium on Committee University of Delhi Global Challenges in TB: An Update on the occasion of the 54th Foundation Day Celebrations of the V.P.C.I. Delhi April 6, 2003 53. Dr Vishal Bansal Member, Organising V.P.C.I. 3rd CME Course in Committee University of Delhi Respiratory Diseases Delhi May 3-4, 2003
54. Dr Vishal Bansal Member, Organising V.P.C.I. Workshop cum Committee University of Delhi Demonstration on and AD Instruments, Powerlab in Life Sciences Australia Teaching and Research Delhi November 10, 2003 55. Dr Vishal Bansal Member, Organising V.P.C.I. Pre-Conference Workshop Committee University of Delhi of 36th Annual Conference and Indian of Indian Pharmacological Pharmacological Society on ‘Pharmacology Society Today Progressing Academia-Industry Interactions’ Delhi December 4, 2003 56. Dr Vishal Bansal Member, Organising V.P.C.I. 36th Annual Conference of Committee University of Delhi the Indian Pharmacological and Indian Society Pharmacological India Habitat Centre, Society New Delhi December 5-7, 2003
110 S. Faculty Member Associated As Organiser(s) Conference, Place and No. Date 57. Dr Vishal Bansal Member, Organising V.P.C.I. First Congress of the Committee University of Delhi Indian Association of Sarcoidosis and Other Granulomatous Disorders Delhi January 12, 2004
58. Dr Balakrishnan Member, Organising V.P.C.I. National Symposium on Menon Committee University of Delhi Global Challenges in TB: An Update on the occasion of the 54th Foundation Day Celebrations of the V.P.C.I. Delhi April 6, 2003
59. Dr Balakrishnan Member, Organising V.P.C.I. 3rd CME Course in Menon Committee University of Delhi Respiratory Diseases Delhi May 3-4, 2003
60. Dr Balakrishnan Member, Organising V.P.C.I. 30th Workshop on Menon Committee University of Delhi Respiratory Allergy: and, Institute of Diagnosis and Genomics and Management Integrative Biology Delhi June 4-10, 2003
61. Dr Balakrishnan Member, Organising V.P.C.I. 36th Annual Conference of Menon Committee University of Delhi the Indian Pharmacological and Indian Society Pharmacological India Habitat Centre, Society New Delhi December 5-7, 2003
62. Dr Balakrishnan Member, Organising V.P.C.I. First Congress of the Menon Committee University of Delhi Indian Association of Sarcoidosis and Other Granulomatous Disorders Delhi January 12, 2004
63. Dr Mujeeb-ur- Member, Organising V.P.C.I. National Symposium on Rahman Committee University of Delhi Global Challenges in TB: An Update on the occasion of the 54th Foundation Day Celebrations of the V.P.C.I. Delhi April 6, 2003
111 S. Faculty Member Associated As Organiser(s) Conference, Place and No. Date 64. Dr Mujeeb-ur- Member, Organising V.P.C.I. 3rd CME Course in Rahman Committee University of Delhi Respiratory Diseases Delhi May 3-4, 2003
65. Dr Mujeeb-ur- Member, Organising V.P.C.I. 30th Workshop on Rahman Committee University of Delhi Respiratory Allergy: and, Institute of Diagnosis and Genomics and Management Integrative Biology Delhi June 4-10, 2003 66. Dr Mujeeb-ur- Member, Organising V.P.C.I. Pre-Conference Workshop Rahman Committee University of Delhi of 36th Annual Conference and Indian of Indian Pharmacological Pharmacological Society on ‘Pharmacology Society Today Progressing Academia-Industry Interactions’ Delhi December 4, 2003 67. Dr Mujeeb-ur- Member, Organising V.P.C.I. 36th Annual Conference of Rahman Committee University of Delhi the Indian Pharmacological and Indian Society Pharmacological India Habitat Centre, Society New Delhi December 5-7, 2003
68. Dr Mujeeb-ur- Member, Organising V.P.C.I. Workshop cum Training Rahman Committee University of Delhi Programme on New and Department of Perspectives in Drug Science and Discovery and Technology, Govt. Development of India Delhi December 8-9, 2003 69. Dr Mujeeb-ur- Member, Organising V.P.C.I. First Congress of the Rahman Committee University of Delhi Indian Association of Sarcoidosis and Other Granulomatous Disorders Delhi January 12, 2004 70. Dr Rajinder Bajaj Member, Organising V.P.C.I. National Symposium on Committee University of Delhi Global Challenges in TB: An Update on the occasion of the 54th Foundation Day Celebrations of the V.P.C.I. Delhi April 6, 2003
112 S. Faculty Member Associated As Organiser(s) Conference, Place and No. Date
71. Dr Rajinder Bajaj Member, Organising V.P.C.I. Pre-Conference Workshop Committee University of Delhi of 36th Annual Conference and Indian of Indian Pharmacological Pharmacological Society on ‘Pharmacology Society Today Progressing Academia-Industry Interactions’ Delhi December 4, 2003 72. Dr Rajinder Bajaj Member, Organising V.P.C.I. 36th Annual Conference of Committee University of Delhi the Indian Pharmacological and Indian Society Pharmacological India Habitat Centre, Society New Delhi December 5-7, 2003 73. Dr Rajinder Bajaj Member, Organising V.P.C.I. Workshop cum Training Committee University of Delhi Programme on New and Department of Perspectives in Drug Science and Discovery and Technology, Govt. Development of India Delhi December 8-9, 2003 74. Dr Rajinder Bajaj Member, Organising V.P.C.I. First Congress of the Indian Committee University of Delhi Association of Sarcoidosis and Other Granulomatous Disorders Delhi January 12, 2004 75. Mrs Uma Tyagi Member, Organising V.P.C.I. National Symposium on Committee University of Delhi Global Challenges in TB: An Update on the occasion of the 54th Foundation Day Celebrations of the V.P.C.I. Delhi April 6, 2003 76. Mrs Uma Tyagi Member, Organising V.P.C.I. 36th Annual Conference of Committee University of Delhi the Indian Pharmacological and Indian Society Pharmacological India Habitat Centre, Society New Delhi December 5-7, 2003 77. Mrs Uma Tyagi Member, Organising V.P.C.I. First Congress of the Indian Committee University of Delhi Association of Sarcoidosis and Other Granulomatous Disorders Delhi January 12, 2004 113 Short Term Specialised Trainings Imparted by Faculty Members
S. Name and Subject Faculty Member Period No. Organisation (Department)
1. Mr Ram Lakhan Effect of anesthesia on Prof. M. Fahim Three months (M.Sc - PhD combined neural regulation of blood and (May – July 2003) Courses in Biomedical pressure Dr Vishal Bansal Sciences) (Physiology) Summer Trainee Dr B.R. Ambedkar Centre for Biomedical Research, University of Delhi, Delhi 2. i. Mr Narender Kumar Training in experimental Prof. A. Ray Six months ii. Ms Paulomi Bhanja pharmacology, toxicology (Pharmacology) July-December iii. Mr Navneet Singh and stress research 2003 for i & ii and iv. Mr Balbir Singh January - June (M.Sc - PhD combined 2004 for iii & iv Courses in Biomedical Sciences)
Dr B.R. Ambedkar Centre for Biomedical Research University of Delhi, Delhi
3. Ms Rashmi Pasricha Attempt at cloning and Prof. M. Bose Six months (M.Sc - PhD combined expression of genes coding (Microbiology) (January - June Courses in Biomedical for virulence and drug 2003) Sciences) resistant of M. tuberculosis Dr B.R. Ambedkar Centre for Biomedical Research University of Delhi, Delhi 4. Ms Ashu Kumari Identification and RFLP Prof. M. Bose Two months (M.Sc Final year) analysis of clinical isolates (Microbiology) (May - June of M. tuberculosis using 2003) Department of IS6110 probe Biotechnology, University of Allahabad 5. Ms Paridhi Saini Effect of carbachol and Prof. S.K. Bansal Four months (M.Sc Final year) disodium cromoglycate on (Biochemistry) [December protein kinase C in rat (2003) - March Kanya Gurkul peritoneal macrophages (2004)] Mahavidhyalaya, Gurkul, Kangri 6. Ms Anita Kamra Effect of carbachol and Prof. S.K. Bansal Four months (M.Sc Final year) disodium cromoglycate on (Biochemistry) [December the production of nitric oxide (2003) - March Kanya Gurkul and the release of – 1β in (2004)] Mahavidhyalaya, Gurkul, rat peritoneal macrophages Kangri
114 Cultural and Sports Activities
During this year, the staff of the Institute had a very eventful and memorable time. The performances (songs and dances, mono-actions, jokes, etc.) of the staff members at the Annual Function of the Delhi University Staff Club were highly appreciated.
In the Sports and Games event the staff members of the Institute had participated in various Annual Tournaments and Annual Athletic Meet of Delhi University Staff Club and also achieved distinguished positions. The details of awards won in various events by the employees of the Institute were as follows:
• Mr Mahipal (Medical Mycology) and Mr Ashok Kumar (Maintenance Cell) were members of the Winner’s up Football Team.
• Mr Mahipal (Medical Mycology) and Mr Ashok Kumar (Maintenance Cell) were members of the Runner’s up Cricket Team.
• Mr Satish Sharma (Accounts Section) and Mr D.K. Sahu (Publication Division) stood second place in the Lucky Doubles category of Table Tennis event.
• Mr Satish Sharma (Accounts Section) and Mr Eric Harrison (Library) stood third place in the Doubles category of Table Tennis event.
115 List of Publications
1. Agarwal MK, Gupta S, Chawla S, Bansal SK, Vijayan VK. Cross-reacting and unique allergenic and antigenic components in insect extracts used for the diagnosis and immunotherapy of patients suffer- ing with respiratory allergy. In: Trends in Clinical Biochemistry and Laboratory Medicine, Published by the Association of Clinical Biochemists of India; 2003: 314-24.
2. Basu S, Gugnani HC, Joshi S, Gupta N. Distribution of Candida species in different clinical sources in Delhi, India and proteinase and phospholipase activity of Candida albicans isolates. Revista Iberoamerican Micologia 2003; 20: 137-40.
3. Basu S, Prakash K, Gugnani HC, Joshi S, Wattal C, Padhye AA. Isolation of Trichosporon mucoides from urine. Journal De Medicale Mycologie (Journal of Medical Mycology) 2003; 13: 155-56.
4. Bhandari B, Reddy MPK, Fahim M. Role of ascorbic acid in cardiovascular performance during acute hemorrhage. Vascular Disease Prevention 2004; 1: 69-78.
5. Bhattacharya SK, Sen P, Ray A. Pharmacology; 2nd edn; New Delhi: Elsevier, 2003.
6. Bisht V, Arora N, Singh BP, Gaur SN. Purification and characterization of amajor cross-reacting aller- gen from Epicoccum purpurascens. Int Arch Allergy Immunol 2004; 133: 217-24.
7. Chowdhary A, Ahmad S, Khan ZU, Doval DC, Randhawa HS. Trichosporon asahii as an emerging etiologic agent of disseminated trichosporonosis: A case report and an update. Indian J Med Microbiol 2004; 22: 16-12.
8. Chowdhary A, Beekar A, Fegeler W, Gugnani HC, Kapoor L, Randhawa VS, Mehta G. Investigations on an outbreak of candidemia due to Candida tropicalis in a neonatal intensive care unit. Mycoses 2003; 46: 287-92.
9. Dhingra VK, Aggarwal N, Rajpal S, Aggarwal JK, Gaur SN. Validity and reliability of sputum smear examination as diagnostic and screening test for tuberculosis. Indian J Allergy Asthma Immunol 2003; 17: 67-69.
10. Dhingra VK, Rajpal S, Aggarwal N, Gaur SN. Prevalence of tuberculosis in police force – An epidemio- logical survey. Indian J Allergy Asthma Immunol 2003; 17: 111-14.
11. Fahim M. Cardiovascular sensory receptors and their regulatory mechanisms. Indian J Physiol Pharmacol 2003; 47: 124 -46.
12. Gaur SN, Rajpal S, Rohatgi A. Prevalence of bronchial asthma and allergic rhinitis among school children in Delhi. Int Med J Thailand 2004; 20: 8-13.
13. Gugnani HC, Vijayan VK, Tyagi P, Sharma S, Stchigel AM, Guarro J. Onychomycosis due to Emericella quadrilineata. J Clin Microbiol 2004; 42: 914-16.
14. Gugnani HC, Becker K, Fegeler W, Basu S, Chattopadhya D, Baveja U, Satyanarayana S, Kalghatgi T, Murlidhar A. Oropharyngeal carriage of Candida species in HIV-infected patients in India. Mycoses 2003; 46: 299-306.
15. Gulati K, Ray A. Preventable adverse drug reactions : Focus on theophylline In : Ray A, Gulati K, ed
116 Pharmacovigilance : An update ; Delhi: Image Graphics India; 2004: 218-30.
16. Gulati K, Wardhan N, Anand S, Ray A. Studies on the toxicodynamics of aminophylline-induced sei- zures in mice. Indian J Pharmacol 2003; 35: 196-97.
17. Joshi A, Gugnani HC, Vijayan VK. Survival of Penicillium marneffei in sterile and unsterile soil. Journal De Medicale Mycologie (Journal of Medical Mycology) 2003; 13: 211-12.
18. Khanal B, Bhattacharya SK, Karki BMS, Shariff M, Deb M. Educating nurses to build a care-with- confidence team. Education for Health 2003; 16: 228-29.
19. Khanna P, Panjabi C, Maurya V, Shah A. Isoniazid associated, painful, bilateral gynaecomastia. In- dian J Chest Dis Allied Sci 2003; 45: 277-79.
20. Koshy L, Dwarakanath BS, Raj HG, Chandra R, Mathew TL. Suicidal oxidative stress induced by certain antioxidants. Indian J Exp Biol 2003, 41:1273-78.
21. Kumar A, Bose M, Brahamachari V. Analysis and expression profile of mammalian cell entry (mce) operons of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Infection and immunity 2003; 71: 6083-87.
22. Kumar P, Sharma S, Khanna M, Raj HG. Effect of quercetin on lipid peroxidation and changes in lung morphology in experimental influenza virus infection. Int J Exp Path 2003, 84: 127-34.
23. Kumar R. Mild, moderate and severe form of allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis – A clinical and serological evaluation. Chest 2003; 124: 890-92.
24. Kumar R, Bhardwaj VK. Allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis in India. Chest (Indian Edition) 2003; 4: 61-62.
25. Kumar R, Chugh T, Gaur SN. Allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis – A review. Indian J Allergy Asthma Immunol 2003; 17: 55-66.
26. Kumar R, Gaur SN, Vatsa HK. The role of inhaled frusemide in management of bronchial asthma. Indian J Allergy Asthma Immunol 2003; 17: 5-8.
27. Kumar R, Singh P. Epidemiological aspects of allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis. Clin Pul Med 2004; 11: 65-70.
28. Kumar R, Singh P, Arora R, Gaur SN. Effect of itraconazole therapy in allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis. Saudi Med J 2003; 24: 546-47.
29. Menon B, Kaur C, Menon MPS. Oxidants and antioxidants in health and disease. Pulmon 2003; 5: 43- 48.
30. Menon B, Kaur C, Menon MPS. Effect of high dose fluticasone propionate on hypothalmo-pituitary- adrenal axis in patients of bronchial asthma. Pulmon 2003; 5: 99-103.
31. Moses AKR, Vijayan VK, Kuppurao KV. Relationship between noninvasive methods of determining anaerobic threshold. J Physical Edu Exercise Sci 2004; 1: 8-11.
32. Panjabi C, Khanna P, Jain S, Shah A. A 35-year old man with a non-resolving pleural effusion. Indian J Tuberc 2004; 51: 37-41.
117 33. Randhawa HS, Kowshik T, Khan ZU. Decayed wood of Syzygium cumini and Ficus religiosa living trees in Delhi/ New Delhi metropolitan area as natural habitat of Cryprtococcus neoformans. Med Mycol 2003; 41: 199-209.
34. Ravi K. Basic research on respiratory physiology with relevance to clinical syndromes in acute respi- ratory disease – an overview. In: Raghunath D, Nayak R, ed Trends in Respiratory Diseases: The Environment and the Infection New Delhi, Tata McGraw-Hill Publishing Company Ltd., 2003: 29-47.
35. Satyanaryana S, Kalghatgi AT, Gugnani HC, Murlidhar A. Lymphadenitis due to Rhodotorula mucilaginosa in a HIV-infected patient. Journal De Medicale Mycologie (Journal of Medical Mycology) 2003; 13:149-50.
36. Saxena S, Madan T, Shah A, Muralidhar K, Sarma PU. Association of polymorphisms in the collagen region of SP-A2 with increased levels of total IgE antibodies and eosinophilia in patients with allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis. J Allergy Clin Immunol 2003; 111: 1001-07.
37. Shah A, Maurya V, Panjabi C, Khanna P. Allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis without clinical asthma caused by Aspergillus niger. Allergy 2004; 59: 236-37.
38. Shakil NA, Dhawan A, Sharma NK, Kumar V, Kumar S, Bose M, Raj HG, Olsen CE, Cholli AL, Samuelson LA, Kumar J, Watterson AC, Parmar VS, Prasad AK. Synthetic, biocatalytic acetylation and anti-tuber- culosis activity evaluation studies on (±)-4-alkyl-3, 4-hydro-3-ω-dihydroxyalkyl-2H-1, 3-benzoxazines. Indian J Chemistry 2003; 42B: 1958-69.
39. Shariff M, Deb M, Singh R. The study of rotavirus diarrhea in Eastern Nepal. Indian J Med Microbiol 2003; 21: 87-90.
40. Singh AK, Verma J, Bhatanagar A, Sen S, Bose M. Tc-99m isoniazid: A specific agent for diagnosis of tuberculosis. World J Nuclear Medicine 2003; 2: 292-305.
41. Singhal P, Kumar R. A study of skin sensitivity to various allergens by intradermal test in patients with respiratory allergy (bronchial asthma and allergic rhinitis) in India. Intern Med J Thai 2003; 19: 202-06.
42. Sood N, Gugnani HC, Joshi A, Singh B. Sporotorichosis: Report of first case from the state of Jharkhand, India. Journal De Medicale Mycologie (Journal of Medical Mycology) 2004; 14: 52-53.
43. Swaminathan S, Kuppurao KV, Somu N, Vijayan VK. Reduced exercise capacity in non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis. Indian J Paediatr 2003; 70: 553-56.
44. Verma J, Singh BP, Sridhara S, Gaur SN, Arora N. Purification and characterization of a cross-reactive 45-kD major allergen of Fusarium solani. Int Arch Allergy Immmunol 2003; 130: 193-99.
45. Vijayan VK. Severe acute respiratory syndrome (Editorial). Indian J Chest Dis Allied Sci 2003; 45: 157-59.
46. Vijayan VK. Severe acute respiratory syndrome. In: Bhattacharya PK,ed Medicine Update Association of Physicians of India (Assam State Chapter), 2003; 7: 206-08.
47. Zahid AM, Ejaz HM, Fahim M. Endothelium mediated vasorelaxant response of garlic in isolated rat aorta: Role of nitric oxide. J Ethnopharmacol. 2004; 90: 5-9.
118 Professor J.S. Bajaj, former Professor and Head, Department of Medicine, AIIMS, New Delhi and former Mem- ber, Planning Commission, Government of India, who delivered the 5th VPCI Oration receiving the memento from Prof. P.N. Srivastava, Chairman, Governing Body and Dr V.K. Vijayan, Director on 7th April 2003 on the occasion of 54th Foundation Day Celebrations of the Institute.
Dignitaries on the dias during the inaugural function of the 36 the Annual Conference of the Indian Pharmaco- logical Society on 5th December 2003. “Bhoomi Pujan” on the occasion of the start of construction work of Auditorium on 28th May 2003
Dignitaries on the dias during the inauguration of the “First Congress of the Indian Association of Sarcoidosis and Other Granulomatous Disorders” on 12th January 2004.